WHETHER they’re quietly collecting dust in quiet building basements or falling into disrepair by the roadside, abandoned vehicles can be a fairly common sight in Malaysia’s urban landscape.
When one passes by these unsightly wrecks, grumbling all the while about how it’s taking up valuable parking space, you might start to wonder: can the owners of these forlorn, formerly-loved modes of private transport actually get in trouble for abandoning their personal property?
VERDICT:
TRUE
In a Bernama report, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said abandoned vehicles that are not properly disposed of could expose owners to legal risks, especially if the vehicles are stolen or modified by third parties.
Owners of vehicles whose road tax has expired for more than five years or are no longer in use are urged to dispose of them legally through the e-Dereg system to obtain a partial refund and help prevent abandoned vehicles from being left on roadsides.
"First of all, owners have the responsibility to dispose of their vehicles, and we have now made the process easier through the e-Dereg system.
"In the long term, we are formulating a policy to ensure that unused vehicles can be managed more effectively, particularly in terms of proper disposal," he said at a press conference on Monday (March 16).
The Online Motor Vehicle Registration Cancellation System, or e-Dereg, was previously introduced by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to address the issue of dilapidated and abandoned vehicles in residential areas without requiring owners to visit JPJ offices for the often complicated deregistration process.
Loke also encouraged vehicle owners to send their vehicles to an Authorised Automotive Treatment Facility (AATF) for legal disposal.
He said that apart from ensuring proper legal procedures, owners could also recover some value from their vehicles through the disposal process.
"It is a legal process, and owners will receive payment based on the vehicle's value. If the vehicle can no longer function, you can send it to an AATF, which also provides towing services to remove the vehicle for disposal.
"The system is already in place, and I have promoted AATF many times. However, we acknowledge that the number of such facilities nationwide is still limited," he said.
