PUTRAJAYA: The decision on whether the Automated Enforcement System (AES) would be implemented or abolished will be known in the next two months, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said the government has yet to make a decision on its as it has various implications.
“I do not want to preempt on the AES, but it is something that we are looking at. There is no decision on the AES yet because it has other implications. We have to study it before we make any announcement," he told reporters at his office here on Tuesday.
Loke said no action has been taken so far against those with outstanding AES summonses, but he acknowledged there were still many who have yet to settle the summonses.
“No action has been taken so far, but we will come to a decision on how to deal with the summonses (issue).
“I have asked the ministry officials and relevant departments to give me a complete proposal (on the AES).
”I will discuss the options with the ministry’s officials and then we will bring them to the Cabinet for a decision. The decision on the AES is very soon. We are looking at between one and two months (as) we need to have a decision on AES,” said Loke.
On the prime minister’s stand that the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project had been “postponed and not scrapped”, Loke said the matter would be discussed further during a meeting with Singapore.
“We are still going to discuss it with Singapore. Three ministers- Finance, Economic Affairs and Transport - would go to Singapore to discuss on this.”
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in an interview with Nikkei Asian Review said that there would be a need for a high-speed rail in the future, but Malaysia could not afford it at the moment.
On the decision to have a new national car company, Loke said Dr Mahathir would be the best person to comment further on it. Asked if priority should be given on upgrading the public transport instead of a national car, he said he did not see a “zero-sum game” between the two.
“On the car project, I have no comment because the announcement was made by the prime minister, who will give more information on it.
“As far as the public transport is concerned, we are committed to (improving) the country’s public transportation programme.
“The commitment of the government is to help the public have a better public transport connection. As far as the prime minister is concerned, he (Dr Mahathir) has given his full commitment, cooperation and support on the need to improve the public transport services including buses and taxis.”