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VIPs must set good example by settling their traffic summonsesMedia Statement by John Chung (Petaling Jaya, Saturday): The call made by the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to all VIP traffic offenders to settle their traffic summonses personally is to be lauded. It is quite shocking that many VIPs in the Government – Menteris Besar, Chief Ministers, State Secretaries and State Secretaries included – had accumulated more than 1,000 unsettled summonses for various traffic offences, especially speeding, which totaled more than RM100,000.
Abdullah had come out with a strong statement stressing that no VIP is exempted from settling their summonses from their own pockets when he stated that, “They committed an offence and they must own up.”
The New Straits Times should equally be commended for publishing details of some of the VIP culprits who are guilty of not paying their traffic fines.
As the call to settle traffic summonses was made by none other than the Deputy Prime Minister himself, the VIPs concerned must demonstrate that they are not above the law by paying up on their summonses.
In this connection, the police must ensure that the law is enforced strictly without fear or favour so that there is no double standard when it comes to VIPs. If the ordinary rakyat is expected to settle their traffic summonses, surely these very VIPs who are supposedly our nation’s leaders and role models should not be allowed to flout the law and get off without being penalized.
DAP proposes that a time frame be given to these VIP offenders to settle their summonses, failing which the names of those who still have outstanding summonses be published again so that the public will know who these irresponsible culprits are.
(9/11/2002) * John Chung, DAP National Publicity Bureau Assistant Secretary |