I HOPE this time around the nationwide crackdown on vehicles with heavily-tinted windscreens and windows will be carried out by the Road Transport Department as scheduled, beginning July 1, without any postponements due to “technical problems” or a shortage of manpower as in previous years (”Crackdown on dark windscreens” — NST, May 23).

Those with vehicles with heavily-tinted windscreens and windows would be fined RM200, which I find absurd.

Paying the RM200 fine is peanuts for them, especially the wealthy ones. A heavier fine would serve as a deterrent for them.

I am not against owners of vehicles with heavily-tinted windscreens and windows, but we must abide by the law as it is clearly an offence.

The responsibility to penalise these recalcitrant motorists should not be with the Road Transport Department enforcement officers alone but the police as well.

The police had recommended that the RTD go ahead with the ban on heavily-tinted windscreens and windows for vehicles in the first place.

The police can take the necessary action whenever they set up a roadblock.

If the roadblock is conducted at night, the RTD could lend or donate a few of its recently purchased autolight plus meters which are able to calculate light penetration at night.

The report also stated that non-governmental organisations and car associations were not in favour of the crackdown as the tint on windscreens and windows was to help cope with global warming. This same excuse has also been given by other motorists.

The use of heavier tint in place of the lighter ones is because the latter allows heat to radiate into the vehicles quite easily.

True, a lighter tint does that, but only if the tint used is of sub-standard material.

Go for the expensive ones and feel the difference.

I use a lighter tint but of an expensive type and on a hot day, with the air-conditioner switched on, I can hardly feel the heat from the sun.

If you don’t want to violate the ruling on heavily-tinted windscreens and windows, just go for the lighter but more expensive tint.

MOHD FAIZAL ABDULLAH, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – May 29, 2008