Malaysian road users are subject to road rules enforced by the relevant authorities based on The Road Transport Act 1987 under the framework of Road Traffic Rules 1959.
There are five category of traffic offences under the traffic rules.
(1) Motor Vehicle Registration
(2) Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses
(3) Driving And 69 specific traffic offences As secluded under the road laws.
(4) Provisions Against Third Party risks that arise out of use of motor vehicles
(5) Offences and Miscellaneous Provisions.
In order to make the road safer, the Malaysia Transport Department went a step forward by implemented the Demerit Points system or KEJARA in 1997.
KEJARA is an acronym of the words ‘Sistem Keselamatan Jalan Raya’ or ‘Road Safety System’.
The demerit points is aimed to create both the Competent and Probationary Driving License holders to be responsible, discipline and considerate when driving on the road.
There are 23 selected traffic offences under the above 5 category which were critical and were secluded under the KEJARA system.
The description of offences are based on their seriousness and were corresponding to the number of demerit points shall be awarded.
Drivers who accumulated more than 20 demerits points continuously within a 12 months period will have the following actions taken against them:
(a) 20 or more demerit points for the first time, a warning would be issued the moment the license holders going to renew his/her driving license.
(b) 20 or more demerits points for the second time, a suspension of driving license for not less than 6-8 months.
(c)20 or more points for the third time, a suspension of driving license less than 8-10 months.
(d) If a license holder has a record of more than fourth time of traffic offences with more than 20 points then the driving license would be suspended longer that is 8-12 months.
FOR drivers, in possession of competent driving license who continually committed traffic offences with more than three times of accumulated 20 demerit points within a 5 years period, he/she’s driving license shall be revoked under the order of Director General of Road Transport Department of Malaysia.
However, for drivers holding the Probationary Driving license if he/she would accumulated more than 20 merit points within the two years period of driving on the road, his/her driving license shall also be revoked.
How the demerit points (KEJARA) system works is of many drivers interests.
The Demerit points is operating the moment you paid the traffic summons for a traffic offence committed under the secluded offences in KEJARA system.
For example, if a driver of car or motorbike failed to obey traffic light signals, the moment he/she pay a compound of RM300 to the authority concerned, 4 demerit points would be automatically awarded.
However, for drivers of goods vehicle and bus, a similar traffic offence like the above, 6 demerit points would be awarded.
The KEJARA System, is not only function to award demerit points for traffic offences. The brighter side of the system is it also awarded bonus points which will helps to deduct demerit points accumulated.
The deduction of points could be done by the following situations:
- A total of fifty percent of demerit points would be deducted from the points accumulated provided he/she would not commit any scheduled traffic offence during the period of 12 consecutive months.
- Attended a rehabilitation course conducted by JPJ (Road Transport Department).
The above Malaysia Road Rules has in a way helps increase awareness among drivers to practice Good Driving Etiquette.
In Malaysia, those who wish to obtain a driving license need to attend a 6 hours of Theoretical and Driving Safety course.
The above course is based on Driver’s Education Curriculum set by JPJ. Traffic Offences and KEJARA system in this article is one of the chapter emphasis during the six hours lecture session which is conducted at driving institute.
Thereafter, It is mandatory to pass the computer-based Driving Laws Test which is based on the curriculum in order to obtain a Learner Driving License(LDL).
