Five agencies in blitz on errant buses

The Star Online - 23 August 2003

KUALA LUMPUR: Five major agencies have swung into action to bring to book errant bus companies and their drivers throughout Peninsular Malaysia.

Ops Bersih, involving the Road Transport Department (JPJ), police, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB), Puspakom and Immigration Department, saw officials checking on buses and drivers at major stations and along highways yesterday.

The joint campaign will continue until the end of the Hari Raya holidays in October, on the instructions of Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, said JPJ director-general Datuk Ahmad Mustapha Abdul Rashid.

Ops Bersih will include:

- Round-the-clock enforcement counters at all major bus stations, manned by the JPJ and traffic police, to check on buses and drivers before they begin their journeys and at the next stop;


- Prohibiting buses from travelling until summonses are paid;

- Further static checks and roadblocks at 15 areas along the highways;

- Urine tests on drivers and co-drivers;

Police, JPJ, CVLB and Puspakom records to be updated with latest data on summonses and warrants of arrest;

Buses must conform to international rigidity standard;

On-the-spot one-month suspension on buses and commercial vehicles which fail Puspakom checks thrice in a row; and,

Prohibiting renewal of licences and permits until all summonses are settled in court.

Quick joint action

Police

Officers from the traffic and narcotics departments will conduct operations with JPJ officers on highways and at bus stations. They will check for unpaid and outstanding summonses and arrest warrants. Urine tests will also be conducted on the drivers.

Immigration Department

Immigration officers will also be involved to check on foreigners posing as Malaysian drivers and illegal immigrants riding on the buses.


Puspakom

Bus manufacturers were informed on Tuesday that they must build buses which adhere to the “R66 Commission of European Countries” construction standards, of which Malaysia is a signatory. Commercial vehicles which fail to undergo checks three times in a row will be blacklisted by the JPJ and CVLB through an online system.

JPJ

Its officers will man roadblocks on the highways to check on bus drivers' licences and vehicle permits. Round-theclock counters will also be set up at bus stations to check the drivers from the moment they begin their journeys until they stop at their destinations.

Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board

This agency will check on the validity of the drivers' Public Service Vehicle licences.