Demerit Points System (Kejara) goes online in Malaysia

Photo from TheSTAR online (http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/11/16/parliament-contract-aes/).

Significant news for all drivers in Malaysia. Some say good, some say not, depending on what kind of road user you are. From 15 April 2017, the Kejara Demerit Points System goes online nationwide, and ushers in a new era of traffic law enforcement. Ultimately, aimed at increasing road safety by taking action (by means of suspension and even revoking the driving license) of frequent traffic offenders.

Now, for those new to the topic (or need a refresher), Kejara is short for KEsalahan JAlan RAya (or traffic offences, in English). Under this Demerit Point System, each driver will be "awarded" points for each traffic offense under the Road Transport Act 1987. For the initial phase, the main focus will be on (but not limited to) speeding and running through red lights. More will be added in due course. 23 in total, to be exact, planned by the end of the year.

A quick search on the JPJ website reveals the following information on how various offenses are "scored":

6 points for drivers of cargo-carrying vehicles (lorries, vans, etc.) and buses. 4 points for drivers of all other vehicle types.

For drivers of cargo-carrying vehicles : exceeding speed limit by 1~25kph = 4 points, 25~40kph = 5 points, above 40kph = 6 points
For drivers of all other vehicle types : exceeding speed limit by 1~25kph = 2 points, 25~40kph = 3 points, above 40kph = 4 points

Looks like the emphasis on compliance is higher on drivers of buses, lorries and other cargo-carrying vehicles.

Playing a big role in this will undoubtedly be the AES (Automated Enforcement System) network of cameras scattered throughout the country, as well as those traffic light cameras at most intersections. Ah well, since we are in to acronyms, the integrated system of AES and Kejara is known as AWAS (Automated AWAreness Safety System).

Upon racking up a total of 20 points, a warning will be issued to the said driver. Subsequently, upon reaching the next 20 points (40 points cumulatively), the driver's license will be temporarily suspended for 6 - 12 months. The driver will have the option of undergoing a "rehabilitation course" in order to reduce the duration of the suspension. I'm not able to find any details on such courses (duration / cost) for now, though the system just started, so it's not likely anyone will have to seriously consider this option yet....

The other option is to avoid being awarded additional points for 12 months, which will result in a 50% reduction in points. 

Since the automated system will rely on vehicle identification, if you are not the driver of the car (example, your teenager is driving the family car bought under your name), then you have 30 days to clarify the matter with JPJ.

The process flow chart : guilty or not guilty

The second and third set of 20 points will also result in a suspension, though it's not clear what the min-max duration. There are 2 conflicting sets of information from the http://www.jpj.gov.my website. One thing consistent, though, is that the 3rd suspension within a period of 5 years will result in the driver's license being revoked. If you are still on probation (driving with a "P" sticker), the 1st 20 points will be sufficient to get your license revoked. Once revoked, you can only re-apply for a new license after 12 months from the date of revocation. Here's an infomercial taken from the JPJ website:

Of course, better not to test the limits in the table above....

An example on how to lose your driving license under the Kejara Demerit Points System

Points are award and effective upon paying the compound or summons in court. If, say, the driver does not settle the speeding ticket (which is quite commonplace based on what the general impression all this while), JPJ will blacklist the driver's license and block renewal of road tax / license.

Stock image from Pixelbay

You can check online if you have any outstanding summons : http://www.jpj.gov.my/pertanyaan-saman-notis or are on the blacklist : http://www.jpj.gov.my/pertanyaan-senarai-hitam ( note these are http and not https sites )

You can read about it more on the JPJ page : http://www.jpj.gov.my/sistem-kejara or write to them for clarification at kejara@jpj.gov.my

Well, there you have it. Of course, it's quite natural human behavior to be resistant to change, but taking a step back and looking at the big picture, the end-in-mind is to make the roads safe for everyone by keeping errant and bad drivers off the road. Regardless, do not drive safely only because you fear the law, but because it is the right thing to do. Feel free to drop your comments or experiences with the new system (hopefully none) in the comments below.


Disclaimer : All information contained in this post is as per what I've found on the JPJ website. Do check there for latest updates, in case there are any changes from time to time. Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law....