KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai today quashed rumours that the government was clearing 1.6 million summonses issued under the Automated Enforcement Systerm (AES) since its inception in 2012.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament's lobby today, he said however, the fines under the system had been fixed at RM150.

"We are not going to quash the summonses. They have to pay," he said.

When asked about the previous unpaid summonses for speeding vehicles, he said: "They still have to pay but it is RM150, even for the ones incurred in the future".

Under the new Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas), AES had been combined with the Kejara Demerit Point System.

"Those who refuse to pay will be blacklisted and will not be permitted to renew their licences," he said.

Liow added that under AES, the number of accidents had been reduced drastically and thus a continuation was necessary.

A total of 40 AES cameras were installed when it was first implemented in 2012. They are currently situated across Klang Valley and Perak.

"It is the government's responsibility to focus on saving lives," he said.

Unlike AES and Kejara, under Awas, there will be no fixed amount of cameras on the road.

"We will implement it in a staggered basis over a few years at the request of certain local governments and communities.

"The cameras will be installed according to requests made by public members, such as at accident prone areas," he explained.

Liow also dismissed allegations that two companies did not win the the system's contracts through an open tender and that they were profitting from it.

"It is a continuous process as the Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) is taking over and their payment will be based on contract for service," he said.

Under the proposed system, the first 20 demerit points collected in a year warrants a warning for the offender.

An additional 20 points means a one-year suspension while another 20 points (60 in total) will lead to the revocation of the driver's licence.

A study by Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros) stated that 90 per cent of motorists abide by the law at the 14 locations where the cameras were installed.