SHAH ALAM: The government has not granted operating licences to the three new companies to carry out services as Motor Vehicle Inspection Centres (PPKM) under the first phase, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said that, instead, the three companies have only been given condition approval starting from last week and two years to meet the infrastructure requirements.
“I want to emphasise, no contract has been given. We do not pay a single cent to these companies. All this requires investment from them to purchase land and machines, build workshops and so on... there are no financial implications for the government.
“They are only given conditional approval. Once they have completed the necessary facilities, then the operating license will be issued,“ he told reporters after the Exio Logistics Hub ground-breaking ceremony in Elmina here today.
He said this when commenting on the appointment of the three companies which, it is claimed, lacked experience in providing PPKM services and smacked of cronyism.
Loke said the PPKM services, previously monopolised by one company, resulted in no other companies nationwide having experience in vehicle inspections.
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“That’s because the vehicle inspection (industry) was monopolised by one company. The Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom), which was established in 1994, also has no experience.
“Previously, this market was not open. It was monopolised by a company granted a concession by the government. Now we open up this industry to more competition so that more companies can get involved in the vehicle inspection industry,” he said.
Earlier, Loke was reported to have said that the government had appointed three new companies to provide PPKM under phase one.
They are Wawasan Bintang Sdn Bhd, which will operate in Port Klang, Selangor, Gua Musang in Kelantan and Mersin in Johor; Pakatan Petroleum Sdn Bhd, which will operate in Rawang, Selangor and Temerloh, Pahang; and Beriman Gold Sdn Bhd, which will operate in Kuching and Serian in Sarawak.
He said these companies have been given two years to complete the infrastructure requirements, with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) set to conduct continuous monitoring to ensure the companies comply with all the stipulated PPKM operational standards.
The operating licence will only be granted once all these companies fully comply with the regulatory requirements, have the necessary equipment and are ready to begin operations.
