JOHOR BAHRU — Malaysian federal traffic police went on their biggest offensive on Friday (Jan 6) and Saturday against errant Singaporean motorists who had accumulated a staggering 184,024 unpaid summonses and 3,423 arrest warrants since 2010.

In the 48-hour crackdown, 3,000 Singaporeans, including those with unsettled summonses, were caught for various offences, mainly speeding.

The culprits paid fines close to RM200,000 (S$64,342).

“Some of them came here just to test drive their cars on the four-lane highways after getting them tuned up here,” Bukit Aman traffic police investigation and enforcement (operation) officer Mr Bakri Zainal Abidin said.

“Others were on ‘adventure rides’ in fast cars and some accidents in the past involved Lamborghini and Ferrari.

“Their mentality against Malaysian traffic regulations must change as we are determined to keep roads safe,” he told Malay Mail.

He said Singapore topped the list of 275,663 unpaid summonses, with motorists from Indonesia, Brunei, and Thailand also on the radar.

Mr Bakri said Operation Saman Tertunggak Warganegara Asing (OSTWA) would be conducted at entry and exit points regularly.

He said the use of advanced high-definition camera technology (iCOP) and Mobile Compound Online Pay System (MCOPS) were effective.

Malay Mail observed the blitz in Johor and shocked Singaporean motorists offered several excuses for outstanding summonses, including

“This is not my car.”

“It’s a rented car.”

“I didn’t know I had a summons.”

But those nabbed knew what they had done wrong — mostly speeding and driving recklessly.

Police gave the offenders an option: Pay on the spot or collect their vehicles from the station after paying up. They paid up.

Mr Bakri warned that those with arrest warrants will be taken to court.

He said 5,710 foreign vehicles were checked during the operation, resulting in 3,000 Singaporeans settling 3,275 summonses.

The checks were carried out at Gelang Patah Rest and Relaxation stop near the Second Link, the Pandan Rest and Relaxation stop at Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) and Km2 of Jalan Tebrau.

Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement director SAC Mr Mahamad Akhir Darus said the main aim of the operation was to remind foreign drivers about road safety and to settle their dues.

He warned this was an ongoing operation and offenders would not be able to escape the dragnet.

Mahamad said traffic offenders could pay their fines through the Malaysian government portals.

A 37-year-old Singaporean driver, who wanted to be known only as Jack, was stopped by Malaysian police near Pasar Borong Pandan in Johor last Friday night.

He had four unsettled summonses — for parking and speeding offences dating from as early as January 2015 — and paid RM$550 on the spot.

For the parking violations, he received tickets on his car’s windscreen but had not been told about the speeding offences.

His first reaction on being stopped? “What’s happening and why they stopped me. After I knew the reason, I was like ‘suay ah’ (Hokkien for unlucky),” Mr Jack, who is self-employed, told TODAY.

Nevertheless, he said Malaysian police were friendly and professional throughout the crackdown, contrary to some rumours. “There were a lot of Singapore cars asked to carry on their journey after (the) screening showed they had no offences.” WITH MALAY MAIL ONLINE