Beginning June 1, all second-hand, refurbished and modified vehicles will be required to undergo a more detailed inspection by Puspakom before they are allowed to be sold.
This is what Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday during a MoU signing between Puspakom – which is a unit of DRB-HICOM – and the government to undertake hire purchase inspection services for vehicles, following the implementation of the newly-amended Hire Purchase (Amendment 2010) Act 1967 approved by Parliament recently to safeguard the interests of all parties.
“Under the amendment, all used vehicles should go through several phases of inspection to ensure they are roadworthy,” he said. The agreement will see Puspakom and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism working together towards undertaking the inspection services.
He added that the new requirement will also provide financial and insurance institutions with safeguards, and used car dealers would also benefit from the new regulation because it would make consumers more confident of the cars being sold, a report in The Star states.
From what we understand so far, this is an extension of the usual B5 inspection in place now, and the B7 inspection will involve a more comprehensive 18-point check to establish the roadworthy condition of the vehicle, making it simple for the prospective buyer to ascertain the condition of the vehicle he’s buying.
The current four-point check is to confirm the identity of the car, and is already mandatory for all used vehicles. New vehicles also undergo a Puspakom check before they are able to be registered.
The B7 inspection will cost RM90, and the charge will be borne by the seller. No mention of the inspection certification’s validity timeframe, but that shouldn’t vary from the month in place now.
The question will now be how much added time this will all entail and add to the selling and buying process – it will certainly take a fair amount of time to accomplish an 18-point check, and one wonders how many cars can be inspected as such in a day. The report adds that Puspakom has spent RM20mil to upgrade its inspection centres in preparation for the new regulation, so let’s hope that the process will be efficient and speedy at best. What are your thoughts on the matter?
Update: Aside from the pricing (see above), the 18-point checklist in the B7 inspection consists of the items listed below. For safety related items, the result will be either be a Pass or Fail; other items on the list will be rated either satisfactory or not, with a short assessment statement.
1. Glass area
2. Condition of the body
3. Wheelhouse
4. Pillars
5. Cut and joint
6. Floor
7. Type of fuel
8. Chassis frame
9. Tyres
10. Engine mounting
11. Air-condition system
12. Odometer reading
13. CNG system for NGV
14. Side-slip test (to check the alignment of two front tyres)
15. Emission
16. Suspension
17. Brake system
18. Under carriage inspection that consists cut and joint, floor, chassis frame, engine mounting, exhaust system including muffler and gearbox (visual inspection for leakages etc).
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments show mixed reactions to the expanded Puspakom inspection, with many expressing concern over it being a monopoly that will lead to increased costs, delays, and potential corruption. Some feel it will protect buyers from unsafe vehicles, but others see it as another money-making scheme at the expense of sellers and consumers. Several comments criticize the government’s lack of public consultation and call for more competition among inspection centers. There are also fears that the process might be abused by corrupt personnel, and that it could burden honest sellers, especially those selling older or problematic cars. Overall, sentiments range from cautious approval for safety to strong criticism of costliness, corruption, and monopolistic practices.