MELAKA, Oct 17 — The Road Transport Department (RTD) will take action against any commercial vehicle involved in an accident if it is found to have failed to comply with the technical aspects set out in the department’s Safety Inspection and Audit Report (JISA).
RTD director-general Datuk Zailani Hashim said various aspects will be examined, including a check on the vehicle’s last periodic inspection at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom).
“Apart from that, we will also check the vehicle to see if it exceeded 35 per cent of the permitted load (BDM) and if found guilty, the individual involved can also be fined up to RM500,000 under Section 57(1)(b) )(vi) Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010.
“I would also like to remind commercial vehicles such as lorries or trailers not to rush on ‘trips’ or carry overloaded items because it will affect the vehicle when braking.
“What is more important is the safety of the other road users,” he said when asked to comment on an accident involving a lorry and three cars at KM 45.7 of the North-South Expressway (south bound) near Sedenak in Johor last Saturday.
He was met after officiating the 20th anniversary celebration of the Road Transport Academy of Malaysia (APJM) at Tiang Dua in Ayer Molek here today.
In the meantime, he also said that RTD will tighten the inspection of motorsport vehicles following the incident that claimed the life of a drag racer at the Gong Badak racing circuit in Terengganu recently.
He said RTD will also increase cooperation with police to ensure that racers do not override technical inspection of the vehicle before participating in any race.
“We never take this matter lightly because we know that motorsports like this (drag racing) are inherently dangerous and high risk compared to operating a normal vehicle,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zailani said RTD through APJM as a Road Transport Centre of Excellence has developed a High Performance Organisation (HPO) action plan focused on certification of competent and professional talent.
“It includes devising a curriculum with a strategy that focuses on professional competency as well as job commissioning and certification for road transport activities,” he said. — Bernama
