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In an effort to curb vehicular disasters, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has decided to raise the stakes higher by deciding to immediately suspend the vocational licence of commercial vehicle drivers involved in road accidents while police investigations are underway.
According to JPJ director-general Aedy Fadly Ramli, drivers found guilty or issued a notice for violating any provision under the Road Transport Act 1987 will have their vocational licence revoked under Section 56(4)(b) of the sam Act, New Straits Times reported.
“As soon as an accident happens, and as soon as we receive a preliminary report from the police involving a bus or lorry driver, we will immediately suspend the driver’s vocational licence.
“Later, if police investigations find that the driver is not at fault, we will rescind the suspension.
“However, if the driver is found to be at fault, we will take further action in accordance with the law, such as cancelling the driver’s licence, revoking permits, and so on,” he said.
Five drivers have already had their licences suspended
Aedy informed that as many as five vocational licences have been suspended so far, including with the lorry driver involved in a fatal accident which killed nine members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) on 13 May, and the bus driver involved in the accident which claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students.
READ MORE: [Watch] Eight FRU Officers Die In Dawn Truck Crash, Echoing 1990’s Dark Chapter
READ MORE: [Watch] Dashcam Footage Emerges Of Fatal Bus Crash That Killed 15 UPSI Students
On top of that, Aedy said JPJ would require all drivers involved in accidents – even if not guilty – to pass a refresher course before their vocational licence could be reactivated or removed from the suspension list.
All drivers would also be subject to a fee to cover the cost of the training programme
Aedy Fadly Ramli
The refresher course will cover re-education on driving competency, including road regulations, safe driving practices, mindset change, and safe vehicle handling.
“JPJ will also set the duration of the programme, which must be successfully completed by the individual involved,” he said, adding that more details on the programme will be announced soon.
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