However, many trafic offenders from the island republic have complained about the way the Malaysian police had informed them of the outstanding summonses, giving no proof that it was indeed their vehicle at fault, The Star reported.
S Ratna Raj, who is a businessman, said he has been commuting between the two countries for the past 15 years, and though he admitted to having been caught speeding before, he insisted that any outstanding summons presented must come with sufficient proof on the alleged traffic offence committed.
“It is widely known that nowadays people are cloning plate numbers for other vehicles.
“So, in that sense if my plate number was cloned by the unscrupulous parties and they were caught speeding, and the summons were supported with pictures, they cannot ask me to pay.
“Now, it is a bit inconvenient as the Malaysian police have stopped me in the middle of the road to pay the outstanding summons. What if I do not have enough money to pay? What if my credit card is full? You want to arrest me? Seize my car?” the 59-year-old told The Star after paying RM450 for three summons between 2013 and 2015 at the Gelang Patah Rest and Relaxation stop near the Second Link on Sunday.
Another Singaporean, lawyer Adrian Dharsan, 49, said he was not aware that he had three oustanding summonses from traffic offences committed since 2013.
“I did check online for any summons issued on my car for the past two years, but there was no outstanding summons shown.
“But today, I was told that they have recorded three speeding tickets on my car and I had to pay RM370 for it,” he was quoted as saying by the daily.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement director, senior assistant commissioner Mahamad Akhir Darus said 275,663 outstanding summonses and 5,358 arrest warrants had been issued to foreigners for traffic offences over the past seven years.
He said the six year period of 2010-2016 was when the number of Singaporeans breaking traffic laws had risen to a record level, with 184,014 summonses being issued, he said.
People from Brunei recorded the second highest number of outstanding summonses for the period with 63,696. They were followed by Thailand (22,334), Indonesia (2,880) and other nationalities (2,739).
Mahamad Akhir said Singaporeans led the way for arrest warrants issued, over the non-payment of summonses, with 3,423. Thai nationals accounted for 1,116, Brunei (509), Indonesia (36) and the others totaled 274.