KUALA TERENGGANU — The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will introduce new standard operating procedures (SOP) and guidelines for commercial and public service vehicles next month.
JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said this move is to address the higher the number of road accidents involving heavy vehicles, especially lorries.
He said the SOP would include stricter actions to be taken against commercial vehicle drivers who drive above the speed limit to the point of endangering other road users.
“Currently, JPJ is scrutinising and detailing the SOP in collaboration with other stakeholders. We are focusing on vehicles over 7.5 tonnes.
“Among the matters being detailed are stricter actions to be taken against commercial vehicles that exceed the speed limit, and also the banning of such vehicles from driving in the far-right lane as previously announced by Transport Minister (Anthony Loke),” Bernama reported him saying at the Terengganu JPJ Appreciation Ceremony and Aidilfitri event here last night.
Video and dashcam footage of several fatal accidents have been shared to social media of late, including a terrifying clip of a lorry turning round a bend at high speed, losing control and flipping over the road divider.
The accident, which occurred at KM 50.8 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway towards Kuantan on March 30, killed three individuals – two adult siblings and their mother – in a Honda Accord.
Four others were injured in the accident that impacted three other vehicles. The 52-year-old lorry driver who was remanded to assist the investigation passed a urine test but had four previous summonses, and is out on police bail while investigation papers have been handed to the Deputy Public Prosecutor for a decision on charges.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke last month warned owners of commercial vehicles to ensure the safety of their vehicles, as failure to do so could risk suspension of their operations if their it was found that faulty vehicles were involved in accidents.
Loke said in newly introduced SOP, any accident involving a lorry, even without fatalities, will result in an audit on the lorry company.
Earlier this year, the ministry through JPJ expanded a probe into Commercial Vehicle Inspection Centres (Puspakom) over alleged corruption in approvals for vehicle checks.
In January, Puspakom suspended six of its inspectors for alleged collusion with a syndicate to grant vehicle inspection approvals without proper checks.
The transport ministry has also moved to break Puspakom’s monopoly on vehicle inspections by allowing companies to apply for licences to provide such a service. – April 14, 2025