GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Road Transport Department (RTD) is investigating the possibility of a syndicate tampering with chassis numbers of heavy vehicles to allow trucks involved in accidents or that are aged to operate without detection by the authorities.
Department director Adenan Md Isa said it is awaiting results from the Chemistry Department on tests conducted on some of the heavy vehicles it had seized.
“Chemical tests have yet to be conducted on some vehicles due to restrictions related to the movement control order (MCO),” he said.
“However, owners of the trailers that were seized are cooperating with RTD officers and have provided documents related to the investigation,” he said.
Nineteen trailers, each belonging to a different company, were found with their chassis engine numbers tampered with.
RTD officers are continuing to check the chassis numbers of commercial vehicles to determine their authenticity and roadworthiness.
Adenan said this when he was asked to comment on the investigation into the seizure of the 19 trailers by officers involved in RTD’s extensive operations on commercial vehicles.
“If results from the Chemistry Department cannot establish the original chassis numbers, then the vehicles are considered illegal and not roadworthy. We will ban the vehicles and prohibit them from being licensed to be on the road,” he added.
He cited Section 17 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which empowers the RTD director to refuse to issue motor vehicle licences in certain cases.
RTD seized the 19 trailers following recent checks at a roadblock.
The department advised commercial vehicle owners to contact the its automotive engineering division before making modifications, especially on the chassis, to ensure compliance with the Road Transport Act 1987 and Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Rules 1959. – The Vibes, March 3, 2021
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