GEORGE TOWN: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has not ruled out possible internal involvement in cases of alleged unauthorised transfers of unique vehicle registration numbers carried out without the original owners’ knowledge.
Its director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said while such a possibility exists, no conclusions can be drawn until thorough investigations are completed.
“I do not deny that possibility, but we cannot jump to conclusions. Each case must be investigated individually,” he said at a press conference after the launch of the Special Registration Number (NPI) in conjunction with JPJ 80th anniversary at Komtar.
Aedy said JPJ has received several complaints regarding ownership transfers carried out without the consent of the original holders, and each allegation would be examined in accordance with existing procedures and legal provisions.
“There have been complaints involving transfers made without the knowledge of the original owners. We will conduct investigations from time to time and take appropriate action based on current procedures and laws,” he said.
He added that the department remains committed to assisting affected parties, but any further action would depend on the findings of the investigation as well as the processes involved in the ownership transfer.
“Investigations must be carried out first, and we need to identify the relevant legal provisions that can be applied,” he said, noting that some claims may stem from misunderstandings over ownership status.
Aedy stressed that the issue may not necessarily be due to data breaches alone, but could involve various factors, including the procedures governing ownership transfers.
“JPJ cannot simply take action such as reverting the number to the original owner without a detailed investigation. It is possible the transfer was done legally, but other issues may have arisen,” he said.
It was reported that a businessman alleged that his luxury vehicle and high-value registration plate were transferred without his consent.
He claimed that his vehicle with unique registration number "P111"was being rented in January this year by one of his employees to an external car rental agent for subletting.
He said he discovered that the vehicle had been transferred to someone else and has now appeared at a second-hand vehicle showroom while the special registration number P111 ownership had been transferred to a motorcycle in Johor.
The businessman lodged a police report on March 1, and investigations are ongoing.
