Transport Ministry names top traffic offenders
Keeping score: Loke (left) chairing a press conference at the Ministry of Transport regarding summonses issued to commercial lorry and bus operators. Also present was Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli (right), Director-General of JPJ. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star
PUTRAJAYA: With so many cases of accidents involving lorries and buses which already have many traffic summonses, the Transport Ministry has decided to reveal the name of companies with the most summonses.
The company that tops the list – a waste management firm – has 22,017 active traffic summons, while the second-placed firm has 5,108. The other nine companies on the list, all operating goods vehicles, have more than 1,000 overdue traffic summonses.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke also said there are 17 bus express companies with over 200 overdue traffic summons each. The bus firm that tops the list has 540 summonses.
'The list is long. But, as a warning, we will just reveal a part of it,' said Loke.
(The Star is not naming the companies as the figures could not be independently verified).
'This was because Malaysians want to see a change in culture.
'We don't want another bus tragedy that sacrificed so many lives,' Loke told a special press conference at the ministry yesterday.
He said the companies had 14 days to settle their traffic summons, failing which they would be blacklisted immediately.
'The companies have to change to a safer road culture,' he added.
Loke also said the ministry was ready to assist companies to abide by road safety regulations.
'For example, we can advise them on how to train drivers.
'We don't want to just punish. We will hold their hands in meeting the regulations,' he said.
According to Loke, the top five traffic offences involving companies operating goods vehicles were technical offences (non-compliant brakes/tyres), not having a valid driving licence, overweight vehicles, driving without insurance coverage and speeding.
For companies operating express buses, Loke said the top five offences were speeding, regular traffic offences, technical offences, driving without a driving licence and no insurance coverage.
Loke also said his ministry would continuously come up with various measures to improve road safety for Malaysians.
'If there are companies that are still stubborn in their ways, we will consider making this (announcement of companies with most traffic summons) a periodical measure. It won't be one-off,' added Loke.
At the same time, Loke urged the public to assist the ministry by providing videos of reckless drivers.
'If you don't want to lodge a report, just make the video viral on social media,' he said, adding that the videos should include visible number plates, company names, the location, as well as the time and date of the incident.
'Once we receive that (video), JPJ and the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) will investigate.
'Once an offence is proven, action will be taken immediately,' said Loke, who felt drastic action is needed to curb the spate of accidents involving heavy vehicles.
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