KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Luxury vehicles belonging to a former national football player and a motivational speaker were among the 1,814 vehicles impounded by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) through the nationwide special operation on luxury vehicles, Ops Luxury.
JPJ deputy director-general (Planning and Operations) Datuk Jazmanie Shafawi said that, of the total, 915 vehicles of various brands, including Porsche and Lamborghini, were detected and seized this year, while 899 vehicles were impounded last year for offences such as failing to renew their Motor Vehicle Licence (LKM), or road tax.
He said the seizure of the former football player’s vehicle was carried out early yesterday morning following three offences — the absence of insurance coverage, expired road tax and a driving licence that had expired since December last year.
“For the past five months, the former footballer has still failed to obtain insurance coverage and a valid road tax for the vehicle,” he said during a press conference at the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (WPKL) JPJ depot last night.
Also present was JPJ senior enforcement director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan.
Jazmanie said the motivational speaker’s vehicle, estimated to be worth more than RM500,000, was also seized on the Damansara-Puchong Expressway after authorities found that the road tax had expired nearly a month earlier, the vehicle had no insurance coverage, and it was still displaying the old registration number despite having undergone an interchange.
He stressed that failing to renew road tax is a serious offence under the Road Transport Act 1987, adding that JPJ would not compromise in taking compound and confiscation action against the vehicles involved.
“The usual excuse given by vehicle owners is that they overlooked the renewal, but that is unreasonable because the MyJPJ application issues reminder notifications when a vehicle’s licence is about to expire,” he said.
Jazmanie added that using a vehicle without valid road tax poses a significant risk to both the owner and other road users because the vehicle is not covered by insurance in the event of an accident.
