Melaka JPJ seizes 49 vehicles driven by foreign nationals during Op Pewa, with most drivers lacking valid licences
MELAKA: The Melaka Road Transport Department (JPJ) seized 49 vehicles driven by foreign nationals for various offences during an operation on foreign drivers, Op Pewa, conducted at several locations across the state today.
Melaka JPJ director Siti Zarina Mohd Yusop said 44 of the seized vehicles were motorcycles while five were cars, with the drivers comprising 22 Rohingya, 10 Pakistanis, nine Bangladeshis, five Indonesians, two Vietnamese and one Indian national.
She said the operation, conducted from 6.30 am to 11.30 am, found three main offences committed by the foreign nationals, namely driving without a valid licence, operating vehicles without a valid road tax, and driving uninsured vehicles.
“Most of the vehicles used by the foreign nationals belonged to Malaysian citizens and were believed to be used for business or employment purposes.
“Based on preliminary investigations, most of the foreign nationals knew the vehicle owners and many claimed the owners were their employers, but the validity of those claims has yet to be verified,” she told a press conference here today.
Siti Zarina said the seized vehicles were among 147 vehicles inspected during Op Pewa carried out in Klebang, Kampung Limbongan, Merlimau, Jasin and Melaka Sentral.
She said 98 notices for various offences were also issued under the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) during the operation.
According to her, vehicle owners must take full responsibility for the use of their vehicles, adding that allowing foreign nationals to drive cars or ride motorcycles without a valid driving licence is an offence and strict enforcement action would be taken without compromise.
Meanwhile, she said that from Jan 1 until yesterday, Melaka JPJ inspected 2,322 vehicles, of which 177 were seized, including 152 vehicles driven by foreign nationals.
During the same period, action was taken against 774 vehicles, while 951 notices for various offences were issued under Act 333, she added.
