Melaka JPJ to focus on heavy vehicle overloading

The Melaka state road transport department (JPJ) will be intensifying enforcement on heavy vehicle overloading, as the offence of overloading vehicles has been identified as one of the most common offences, Bernama has reported.

Vehicle overloading violations could threaten the safety of other road users and contribute to the occurrence of fatal accidents, said Melaka JPJ director Muhammad Firdaus Shariff, who added that the department will conduct special operations in areas known to be hotspots for heavy vehicles. “We will also organise special programmes to raise awareness about the violation,” Firdaus said.

The Melaka state JPJ held its Chinese New Year special operation on the Alor Gajah-Jasin Highway near Melaka Sentral, which saw 2,419 vehicles inspected and of these, action was taken against 267 vehicles for various offences. 223 notices were issued, and six motorcycles were seized by Melaka JPJ, according to Bernama.

From the special operation, the most common violation found was driving without a licence, at 94 offences recorded, followed by not having valid road tax and insurance (88 offences), and technical violations including non-compliance with vehicle licence plate specifications, and issues with side mirrors (85 offences).

Heavy vehicles, or lorries in particular have been under the spotlight recently, with a ban on lorries to be enforced from February 19 on certain highways.

The Association of Malaysia Hauliers (AMH) has voiced opposition to the ruling, and said that authorities had failed to engage it and other stakeholders before making its unilateral decision, and other lorry associations concurred. Today, PLUS stated its support for the peak-hour lorry ban, and has put up signs on the North-South Highway, NKVE and Elite highways.

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