Three new firms to complete PPKM project in two years
PUTRAJAYA: Seven new Motor Vehicle Inspection Services (PPKM) centres will be built within the next two years with the appointment of three new companies for the job, the Transport Minister reveals.
Announcing the vehicle inspection revamp yesterday, Anthony Loke said the licences are for 10 years with annual renewals and the centres to be inspected.
Audits will be conducted by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) randomly on the centres and those failing to keep up with service requirements will have their licences revoked, he said.
The centres will be located in Port Klang and Rawang in Selangor; Gua Musang in Kelantan; Mersing in Johor; Temerloh in Pahang; and Kuching and Serian in Sarawak.
Boosting service: Loke with his deputy Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (third from left) meeting with representatives from the three companies at the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
Loke said the companies, which received the PPKM appointment offer letters yesterday, were given 24 months to complete the infrastructure requirements which include premises development, procurement of inspection equipment and obtaining approvals.
“Licences can be granted within a six-month period, and the 24-month period is the maximum. If they cannot provide the infrastructure within 24 months, then the appointment will be revoked,” he told a press conference at his ministry here.
He named the companies concerned as Wawasan Bintang Sdn Bhd, Pakatan Petroleum Sdn Bhd and Beriman Gold Sdn Bhd, adding that they were picked based on key criteria which included a strong financial position with minimum paid-up capital of RM10mil and being locally owned.
Loke said the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) will continue to operate.
“Puspakom is still operating, and was given the first right of refusal.”
He added that with all Puspakom branches being given licences to continue operating, the new operators were brought in to provide more choices and competition.
Loke said the ministry will control the number of centres at a particular location.
“We will only allow more centres in densely populated states like Selangor and for large ones like Sarawak,” he said.
“The service charge for vehicle inspection will still be controlled by the government and will have a ceiling price.”
Loke said JPJ received 12 applications to run the inspection centres when applications were open from July 1 to Oct 31 last year.
He said the ministry will reopen applications for more inspection centres under the second phase from March 1 to June 30 this year.
Meanwhile, Puspakom announced that its Wangsa Maju branch had received instructions to close by June.
“The closure will allow JPJ to build new facilities on the site,” Puspakom chief executive Mahmood Razak Bahman said.
He said a separate announcement willl be made about adjustments to service hours at its other inspection centres in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.
“On average, Puspakom Wangsa Maju inspects 800 vehicles daily.
“So we need to review the service hours of several branches to accommodate this reduction in inspection slots.”
He said JPJ has approved a replacement centre in Bukit Beruntung, Rawang, which is scheduled for completion in December next year.
