Millions of motorists are racing against time as authorities tighten the net on long-standing traffic summonses, warning that those who continue to ignore them after the year-end cut-off could face serious consequences ranging from blacklisting to the loss of fuel subsidies.
The scale of unpaid fines is enormous: the Road Transport Department (JPJ) is still chasing 4.95 million unsettled summonses valued at RM1.48 billion, while police records show almost RM6.6 billion worth of unpaid tickets stretching back years.
The repercussions go far beyond the usual inconvenience of being blocked from renewing road tax or a driving licence. Because the Budi95 petrol subsidy is linked to a valid licence, motorists who continue to sidestep their obligations risk losing the financial assistance entirely.
Discounts of between 50% and 70% have been offered since November in an attempt to entice motorists to clear their backlog, but the grace period ends on 31 December. After that, a new “pay fast, pay less” system will kick in on 1 January 2026, imposing heavier penalties the longer a summons remains unpaid.
According to The Star, JPJ director-general Aedy Fadly Ramli revealed that only a small fraction of the outstanding tickets had been settled since the concession began. Just over 362,000 summonses, amounting to RM47.85 million, were paid off between 1 November and last Monday — a mere seven per cent of the total.
He stressed that the nearly five million unpaid summonses issued since 2010 were a clear sign that many motorists were still taking the matter lightly. Aedy urged Malaysians to clear their fines before the end of the month, warning that failure to do so would trigger blacklisting and legal action that would automatically halt licence and road tax renewals.
He reiterated that traffic regulations exist to keep roads safe and that paying outstanding fines is part of fostering a responsible driving culture. Motorists can settle their dues through the MyJPJ app, JPJ kiosks or by visiting JPJ counters nationwide.
The police share a similar view, noting that the response since the discount window opened has been strong but not strong enough. Federal Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Yusri Hassan Basri said large numbers had come forward to pay, yet many still had not acted.
He reminded the public that compoundable summonses can still be settled at discounted rates until 31 December, after which enforcement will tighten. Yusri added that the police will await guidance from the Transport Ministry on how to deal with those who continue to ignore their summonses once the deadline passes.
