After MACC swoop, JPJ sets up internal task force on corruption

The task force will conduct a thorough assessment and make its recommendations in two weeks time, says JPJ director-general Shaharuddin

PUTRAJAYA: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has set up an internal task force to study procedures within the department to eliminate corruption following the arrest of 24 of its officers in Penang.

JPJ director-general Datuk Seri Shaharuddin Khalid said the task force, led by the department’s integrity division, would do a “gap analysis” to streamline the department’s work practices and procedures.

The aim, he said, was to eliminate weaknesses in the system that could lead to “negative behaviour”.

“Some of the processes and procedures may be old or outdated and could have allowed for corruption. We are trying to rectify this.

“The task force will conduct a thorough assessment and make its recommendations in two weeks' time,” he said at a press conference at the department’s headquarters in Putrajaya on Saturday (April 20).

The JPJ recently suspended 24 Penang JPJ officers, after they were nabbed on Wednesday (April 17) by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist investigations into a protection racket.

The suspects allegedly turned a blind eye on lorry drivers, who committed road offences in Penang.

Sources said as an inducement, the officers received payment of between RM10,000 and RM32,000.

On Saturday, MACC arrested a further 22 Penang JPJ officers for the same offence.

Shaharuddin assured that the JPJ was giving its full cooperation to the MACC.

“In the meantime, we have enlisted officers from neighbouring states to help fill the gap caused by the numerous arrests, and we are still carrying out our enforcement duties,” he said.

He added that the department had started a crackdown on errant lorries from Bukit Tagar to Nilai starting from 8am on Saturday (April 20).

“Lorries carrying more than their weight limit is the most common offence with 20 cases at 35% over the limit.

“Another 18 more were stopped for various offences such as driving without a proper licence and parking in the emergency lane,” he said.

Shaharuddin said the crackdown would continue indefinitely as these offences were serious and posed a danger to other road users.

“In the first three months of this year alone, there were 13,744 cases of lorries transporting over the weight limit, with around RM1.79mil worth of compounds collected,” he said.