A SCHOOL bus was seized by the Kedah Road Transport Department (JPJ) after it was discovered to have been operating in breach of its licence conditions by transporting foreign tourists without proper authorisation.
The vehicle was detained during the Special Operation on Public Service Vehicles (Ops Khas Kenderaan Perkhidmatan Awam) at the North–South Expressway slip road near Kepala Batas, here, while carrying about 40 tourists from Thailand who were en route to Johor.
Kedah JPJ director Stien Van Lutam said inspections revealed that the bus operator failed to produce a Temporary Change Permit (LPS), which is required for the use of a school bus for tourism or non-designated transport purposes.
He said the absence of the permit constituted a direct breach of licensing conditions, leading to immediate enforcement action.
Following the inspection, the bus was seized and taken to the JPJ enforcement centre in Alor Setar for further action.
“All passengers were dropped off at the Shahab Perdana Bus Terminal in Mergong, Alor Setar, to continue their journey using alternative transport.
“JPJ Kedah stresses that firm action will continue to be taken against any operator who misuses vehicle permits and compromises safety as well as compliance with road transport laws,” he said in a statement.
The department stressed that strict enforcement would continue against operators who misuse vehicle permits, warning that such violations compromise both road safety and regulatory compliance. - June 6, 2026
