AWAS! You’re On Traffic Camera

By now, many motorists have spotted the new AwAS cameras on the ELITE highway (KM28.4 Northbound; KM17 Southbound). Or, you might not have noticed them because they’re basically skinny black poles on the side of the highway, as opposed to the more visible white / grey boxes of the old AES (Automated Enforcement System) cameras. This however, opens the debate on the purpose of the cameras which are said to be a deterrent to speeding. But if you’re not aware of them then….

But as with anything that uses technology, the AwAS (Automated Awareness Safety System) cameras are a big upgrade from the old AES cameras which are considered outdated and apparently no longer supported. You can be sure the upgraded AwAS camera is more advanced than its predecessor. The new system is supposed to incorporate features such as Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology which boosts their accuracy and efficiency in identifying vehicles that breach speed limits or run red lights. Furthermore, the new cameras have high-resolution imaging for both day and night monitoring, and can offer 360-degree surveillance. So even if the camera is on the opposite side of the highway, you can’t really guarantee it’s not spotting your car. Additionally, the new camera poles are modular units and can be outfitted with extra functionalities such as WiFi and city lighting.

According to JPJ (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan), the AwAS cameras will monitor highways in 8 states. The locations are:
Johor

• KM151.4 PLUS Highway – Pagoh (Northbound)
• KM146.8 PLUS Highway – Pagoh (Southbound)
• KM1 PLUS Highway – Johor Bahru (Northbound)
• KM1 PLUS Highway – Johor Bahru (Southbound)

Melaka

• KM214.4 PLUS Highway – Alor Gajah (Northbound)
• KM214.4 PLUS Highway – Alor Gajah (Southbound)
• KM184.2 PLUS Highway – Jasin (Northbound)
• KM185 PLUS Highway – Jasin (Southbound)

Negri Sembilan

• KM21 Lebuhraya Kajang – Seremban (Northbound)
• KM 21 Lebuhraya Kajang – Seremban (Southbound)

Selangor

• KM18 Guthrie Corridor Expressway (Northbound)
• KM18 Guthrie Corridor Expressway (Southbound)
• KM28.4 ELITE Highway (Northbound)
• KM17 ELITE Highway (Southbound)

Perak

• KM375.9 PLUS Highway – Slim River (Northbound)
• KM204.6 PLUS Highway – Taiping (Southbound)
• KM299.9 PLUS Highway – Kampar (Northbound)
• KM382.8 PLUS Highway – Behrang (Southbound)

Pulau Pinang

• KM166 PLUS Highway – Seberang Perai Selatan (Southbound)

Kedah

• KM97.2 PLUS Highway – Kuala Muda (Northbound)
• KM96.3 PLUS Highway – Kuala Muda (Southbound)
• KM174 PLUS Highway – Bandar Baharu (Northbound)

Terengganu

• KM256.1 LPT2
• KM288.6 LPT2

Besides the highways, AwAS cameras will also monitor federal routes such as:

• KM85.5 Jalan Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur : Sungkai
• KM17 Jalan Gua Musang – Kuala Krai

The AwAS system is also used to monitor intersections for traffic light violations, so think twice before running a red light, or overstepping the white line (to be safe). The announced locations are:

Kuala Lumpur

• Jalan Klang Lama – Jalan Sepadu
• Jalan Ipoh (towards Sentul)

Perak

• Jalan Pasir Puteh
• KM26 Jalan Ipoh – Kuala Kangsar
• KM4 Jalan Setiawan – Lumut / Manjung (towards Lumut)
• KM4 Jalan Setiawan – Lumut / Manjung (towards Setiawan)
• KM116 Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur / Batang Padang – Slim River (towards KL)
• KM116 Ipoh – Kuala Lumpur / Batang Padang – Slim River (towards Ipoh)
• KM11 Jalan Setiawan – Ipoh (towards Setiawan)
• KM14 Jalan Ipoh – Pusing (towards Setiawan)
• KM38 Jalan Ipoh – Kampar (towards Ipoh)
• KM8 Teluk Intan – Hutan Melintang / Hilir Perak

Kedah

• KM36 Jalan Alor Setar – Butterworth / Kuala Muda (towards Alor Setar)
• KM54 Jalan Alor Setar – Butterworth
• KM1 Jalan Gurun – Sik / Kuala Muda (towards Gurun)
• KM1 Jalan Gurun – Sik / Kuala Muda (towards Sik)

There are also several camera sites in Selangor and Putrajaya which are being reevaluated for suitability, according to JPJ. FYI, the penalty for speeding is RM300, and for running a red light, it is either a fine of up to RM2,000 or up to 6 months of jail time.

The stated purpose for upgrading to the AwAS system is to improve road safety and reduce accidents (and fatalities), as well as to ensure motorists adhere to traffic laws. The effectiveness is of course, open to argument but in whichever way you look at it, something needs to be done besides deploying an army of enforcement officers for constant monitoring or setting up inconvenient roadblocks.

According to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), it has found that there is 99% compliance by motorists to camera systems such as this, and as such deem this method effective. According to the Ministry of Transport, there were around 600,000 road accidents recorded in 2023. Out of these cases, 6,443 lives were lost. This equates to an average of 18 deaths every day.

Besides deterrent systems like speed and traffic cameras, the ministry is also looking to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads. This involves bolstering the public transport network (which is a long term effort) to reduce the frequency of private vehicle usage by owners.