KUALA LUMPUR: Owners of special car registration numbers have been urged to stay alert as the popular numbers may now be targeted by syndicates for resale, says Datuk Seri Michael Chong.
The MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head said the syndicate is believed to be transferring vehicle registration numbers without the owners’ consent.
“My department received three reports of such cases in just a day on Wednesday.
“This is very concerning as it seems whoever is doing this no longer need any form of authorisation or consent for the transfers,” he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA yesterday.
Besides transferring the special registrations numbers, Chong believes that the syndicate is also able to transfer vehicles ownership without the consent of the original owners.
He called on the relevant authorities, including the Road Transport Department (JPJ), to investigate whether such activities are being carried out through an inside job or whether there are weaknesses in JPJ’s computer systems.
“For any current owners of vehicles with special or ‘hot’ number plates, I suggest you check frequently if you still own it,” he added.
Meanwhile, a victim who only wanted to be known as Tan, said he was shocked to learn that a luxury vehicle rented out by his car rental business was being sold at a secondhand car dealer.
He said he had rented his Toyota Alphard with a special registration number to a car rental agent known as “Brian” on Jan 13 for one month at a fee of RM12,000.
He added that the man later requested to extend the rental for another month.
“I was shocked when my friend contacted me on Feb 25 to check if I was selling the rented car, which is registered under my business,” he said at a press conference yesterday.
Tan said he later discovered that both the ownership of the car and its registration had been transferred to another unknown owner, and the vehicle was being sold at a car showroom.
He added that the ownership of the special registration number was also allegedly transferred to a motorcycle in Johor.
“I do not know how this could have happened as neither I nor my business had been contacted regarding the transfer of ownership of the vehicle or the number plate,” he said.
Tan added that he lodged a police report on March 1.
