BUTTERWORTH: A total of 38 luxury cars have been seized by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in a crackdown on owners driving without valid road tax and insurance.
JPJ director Zulkifly Ismail said those caught include businesspeople and VIPs with Datuk titles.
"This operation has been carried out across the state of Penang since June (until Thursday, Aug 21).
"The main objective is to curb the use of luxury vehicles without valid road tax and insurance," he said during a press conference at JPJ Seberang Jaya here on Thursday (Aug 21).
He said action was taken under Section 23 of the Road Transport Act 1986 for road tax offences and under Section 90 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for insurance-related offences.
He said in several cases, inspections also revealed that some of the drivers did not possess a valid driving licence.
Zulkifly said the operation aims to prevent national revenue losses, as many luxury car owners attempt to evade paying road tax and insurance.
He said most importantly, the operation seeks to ensure road safety.
He said vehicles operating without valid road tax and insurance not only deprive the government of revenue but also pose serious risks to other road users, as any accident involving such vehicles could result in significant financial and safety repercussions.
Among the luxury vehicles that were seized are Rolls Royce, BMW, Porsche and others.
"Based on our records, the Rolls Royce stands out with the highest road tax rate which is RM54,000 a year," he said.
He said this particular vehicle was taken action against for two offences, driving with an expired road tax and without valid insurance.
Commenting further, Zulkifly said one of the most common excuses given by vehicle owners during inspections is that they "forgot" to renew their road tax.
"If we look at the cases here, some vehicles have expired for six months, some for a year, and the longest one even dates back to 2023, that is two years overdue.
"So the excuse of ‘forgetting’ can no longer be accepted. It’s a stale excuse, outdated and simply not valid. To me, claiming you ‘forgot’ is nothing more than a flimsy justification," he said.
He added that JPJ Penang will continue to carry out Ops Luxury from time to time, and stern action will be taken against any party that defies road transport laws and regulations.
