PUTRAJAYA has cancelled all existing summonses issued under the controversial Automated Enforcement System (AES), said Anthony Loke.

The transport minister said from September 1, the Road Transport Department (RTD) will take over operation of the AES which is managed by two private companies.

“There are 3.1 million unpaid summonses up to May this year. If it is paid it would amount to RM430 million.

“This is a one-off. After September 1, any summon issued has to be paid by motorists,” he said today at a press conference.

Currently there are 10 fixed and four mobile AES cameras in 14 accident-prone spots in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Perak.

Under AES, photographs and video images of vehicles flouting traffic rules are captured, before summonses are issued.

Loke however said there would not be any refunds made to motorists who had paid the summons in the early days.

“I am sorry about this. We are not in position to give you a refund,” he said, adding that 18% of those who had been issued summons through AES had paid up.

He said this amounted to some RM700,000.

The RTD had previously pledged to fix 831 cameras to catch speeding motorists and prevent more road deaths as part of the pilot phase of the AES project implemented in September 2012.

However, three months later, the Attorney-General’s Chambers ordered a halt to all court proceedings related to summonses issued under the AES to study legal issues raised following a public outcry.

Problems arose as police continued their enforcement against speeding motorists in parallel with the privatised AES, causing motorists to complain about being summoned twice.

A handful challenged the summonses received under AES in court, leading to the attorney-general’s order to freeze the blacklisting of offenders. – August 17, 2018.