Industry groups slam move to suspend vocational licenses after accidents
The Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Lorry Operators Association has voiced strong objections to the policy, saying it puts the livelihoods of drivers and their families at risk and could deter more people from entering the profession.
Its secretary-general, Alvin Choong, said that licences should only be suspended once drivers are found guilty of causing serious accidents.
"Good drivers are already hard to find, and this blanket action may worsen the shortage.
"Many drivers are blamed for accidents even when they are not at fault," he said, adding that Malaysia should look to countries such as Japan, where commercial drivers are highly trained, well compensated, and held in high regard.
He added that a more sustainable solution lies in attracting educated and younger individuals to the industry by improving training, working conditions, and pay.
Yesterday, the Road Transport Department (RTD announced that it will suspend the vocational licences of commercial vehicle drivers involved in road accidents, pending investigations by the police.
Its director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said that if drivers are found guilty or issued a notice for violating any provision under the Road Transport Act 1987, their vocational licences would be revoked in accordance with Section 56(4)(b) of the same Act.
He also said to ensure that commercial vehicle drivers are competent, the department will require any driver whose vocational licence has been suspended to undergo and pass a refresher training programme before the licence can be reactivated or removed from the suspension list.
Echoing similar sentiments, Federation of Malaysian School Bus Operators Association president Amali Munif Rahmat said the decision was "unfair", as it only targets commercial drivers while private vehicle users are also frequently at fault.
"Can we all agree that this suspension should be enforced across all types of vehicles, regardless of whether the individual is the cause or the victim of the accident?
"Many private vehicle drivers should also face the same consequences. It should not be focused solely on heavy vehicles.
"Fewer than 10 per cent of car passengers wear seat belts, and many private motorists frequently break traffic rules by overtaking on double lines. Why should innocent victims be subjected to the same penalties?" he said.
He added that while no one should be above the law, neither should innocent parties be penalised without due process.
"The investigations have not even been concluded, how can we determine who was at fault or who was the victim?
"If that is the case, then suspend all licences until investigations are completed and the court decides who is guilty, even if the case takes years.
"No one should be above the law, so there should be no exceptions," he said
Meanwhile, the Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH) secretary, Mohamad Azuan Masud, said while the measure is sound and progressive, a clear and transparent implementation method is essential to prevent any injustice towards drivers who may not be at fault.
He said the principle of justice and the investigative process, in line with legal procedures, must be respected, to ensure that no individual becomes a victim of the system.
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