KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry has extended the commercial vehicle inspection period to 30 days before the Motor Vehicle Licence (MVL) expiry, up from 14 days, to reduce congestion at inspection centres.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the measure, effective March 17, is intended to help vehicle owners better plan their inspection schedules and secure booking slots at Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centres (Puspakom) in advance.
"Vehicles can undergo inspections up to 30 days early without affecting the MVL expiry date or causing any financial loss to owners. The validity period of the renewed licence will still be calculated based on the original expiry date," he said at a press conference after visiting the Wangsa Maju Puspakom on Monday (March 11).
The MOT is also introducing flexibility by allowing self-declaration for five non-safety-related items, namely body lettering, speed limit signs, first aid kits, registration numbers, and passenger seat conditions for public service vehicles.
"For instance, if a vehicle previously failed inspection due to faded address lettering, Puspakom will no longer reject it. This will shorten inspection times and reduce failures for non-critical safety issues. However, these items will be inspected on the road to ensure ongoing compliance," he said.
Additionally, the Transport Ministry is allowing heavy vehicles to use select highways in the Klang Valley during peak hours from 6.30am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 7.30pm, provided they present proof of a Puspakom inspection booking slip.
Meanwhile, Loke announced that Puspakom has introduced several short-term improvements, including extending operating hours by four hours to a total of 12 hours per day and opening on Saturdays throughout this month.
To prevent misuse by middlemen or runners reselling slots for profit, Puspakom will also prohibit multiple inspection bookings under the same registration number.
"Puspakom will also enhance its booking system by freezing the original inspection slot if it is rescheduled. This measure prevents the original slot from being misused or sold to others for potentially hundreds of ringgit," he said.
With these measures set to take effect on March 17, he expects PUSPAKOM’s daily capacity to increase by up to 15 percent, from 13,500 to 15,500 vehicles. - Bernama
