BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Penang Road Transport Department (JPJ) issued 2,946 summonses for various offences and impounded 26 commercial vehicles during a special statewide operation on commercial vehicles in September.
Its director, Zulkifly Ismail, said the department inspected 19,191 commercial vehicles and took action against 1,616 for various offences from Sept 1 to 30.
"Among the most common offences recorded were driving without a Vocational Licence (GDL/PSV) with 398 summonses issued, carrying loads exceeding the permitted limit (277 summonses), expired or no driving licence (232 summonses), expired motor vehicle licence (227 summonses) and no insurance coverage (85 summonses).
"The department also detected three commercial vehicles – a tipper dumper, a container lorry, and a dual-control lorry – driven by foreign nationals from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
"We seized the vehicles and issued summonses because foreigners are not permitted to work as commercial vehicle drivers,” he told reporters after an operation at the Juru Toll Plaza (northbound) here in Sunday (Oct 5) night.
He said checks on the three foreign men, all in their 20s, found that they possessed valid travel documents and work permits for other sectors, but were working as commercial vehicle drivers, as such jobs are believed to be easier to obtain.
Zulkifly said inspections also found that some employers or companies hired foreign nationals as commercial vehicle drivers because they were paid lower wages than local workers.
He added that the operation will continue until Dec 31 to ensure that commercial vehicle operators and drivers comply with laws and traffic regulations including the Road Transport Act 1987 and Land Public Transport Act 2010.
Meanwhile, Zulkifly said that from Oct 1 until Sunday, the department inspected 165 commercial vehicles as part of its phased enforcement of speed limitation devices (SLDs) for commercial vehicles, including tour and express buses.
He said that of the total, 31 vehicles were found to have valid SLD inspection slips, while 91 vehicles were issued with Notice 114 under the Road Transport Act 1987 for further action.
"The level of compliance has been encouraging, and we urge all commercial vehicle operators to ensure full adherence to the installation requirement, which is aimed at reducing the risk of fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles,” he said.
The SLD is a control system designed to restrict a vehicle’s maximum speed. – Bernama
