Mandatory inspections of private cars studied

THE Government is seriously considering enacting laws to make it mandatory for private cars to be sent for regular inspections.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the move by financial institutions to require used cars to undergo inspection at Puspakom before approving loans for them had allowed many cut-and-join cars to be discovered.

“I’m sure with mandatory inspection, we will be able to find more such cars,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

He said mandatory car inspection was a common practice in developed countries and many NGOs had proposed that it be carried out in Malaysia, too.

Cut-and-join vehicles, where two halves are welded together to make a whole vehicle, are not allowed by the Road Transport Department because they are not roadworthy.

Chan said those who bought used vehicles should send them for inspection even if they were not taking loans.

“This will protect them from buying cut-and-join vehicles.”

Earlier, Chan told the Dewan that the number of cut-and-join vehicles discovered by Puspakom rose from 82 in 2000 to 1,502 between January and August this year.

Source: The Star