GEORGE TOWN: A Bangladeshi construction worker who had purchased a motorcycle just three days prior was among 74 foreign nationals caught riding without a valid driving licence during an early morning crackdown on Friday (Oct 9).
The man in his early 30s was stopped by Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers while riding a motorcycle registered under his own name.
The five-hour operation, codenamed Ops Pemandu Warga Asing (Ops PeWA), ran from 5am to 10am across George Town. Officers inspected 694 vehicles and seized 74 motorcycles driven by unlicensed foreign motorists.
Penang JPJ director Zulkifly Ismail said enforcement officers issued 258 summonses for various traffic violations, with driving without a valid license emerging as the top offence at 158 citations. Another 50 summonses were issued for expired road tax, with the remaining for other minor infractions.
"The operation ensures that all motorists, regardless of nationality, strictly comply with the nation's road traffic laws," Zulkifly said on Friday (Oct 9), adding that unlicensed drivers pose severe safety risks to all road users.
Zulkifly revealed that many foreign workers claimed they needed the vehicles to commute to work. While some managed to purchase vehicles directly, others relied on Malaysians who rented out motorcycles, or registered them under local names, for around RM200 a month.
All 74 motorcycles were impounded under Section 64 of the Road Transport Act 1987 to prevent continued illegal use.
Zulkifly warned employers and local vehicle owners not to enable unlicensed foreign drivers for financial gain.
"Road safety must not be compromised for convenience or profit," he said, urging the public to report traffic violations through official JPJ channels.
