FOLLOWING the expiration of the concession for the inspection of motor vehicles on Aug 31 next year (2024), Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook announced that the Cabinet has decided to open vehicle inspection services to all qualified parties apart from PUSPAKOM or the Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer.
Following this, PUSPAKOM will cease to be the sole provider of vehicle inspection services for the road transport department from Sept 1, 2024.
“The Cabinet decided on the matter on March 17 as it wanted to promote a competitive vehicle inspection industry,” Loke told a press conference today.
PUSPAKOM which is Malaysia’s first and only comprehensive national vehicle inspection centre was appointed by the government in 1994 to conduct all necessary inspections for both commercial and private vehicles.
According to Loke, the decision to open the sector was made in part to shorten the time that the general public had to wait while their cars were being inspected.
“Large vehicles like lorries and buses have to wait ‘a long time’ for their vehicles to be inspected, especially if there is only one PUSPAKOM centre in their area. There are only 56 PUSPAKOM Centres across the country,” the Seremban MP pointed out.
“While the Cabinet agreed to extend PUSPAKOM’s concession for another 15 years from Sept 1, 2024, Puspakom has been asked to improve the quality and integrity of its inspections by expanding automation and the use of computers.”
Moreover, PUSPAKOM has also been asked to improve its booking process and customer service, install CCTV systems at all checkpoints for the purpose of real-time monitoring, and provide a human resource development training system for its staff.
Loke added the Transport Ministry and Road Transport Department (JPJ) will now outline a scope of service, develop qualification requirements and operating rules, and determine inspection locations and guidelines for other parties interested in providing motor vehicle inspection services.
He also stated that the Transport Ministry is finalising operation conditions for such services and expects applications to start by the first quarter of 2024.
“To ensure the uniformity of regulations and fair competition, parties interested in providing periodic motor vehicle inspection services will be required to meet all the same conditions and regulations that have been imposed on Puspakom.
“These include the hiring of qualified staff, using computerised inspection equipment that is regulated and approved by JPJ, and charging a fixed inspection fee rate. They will also not be able to offer vehicle repairs, modification services, or sell spare parts,” noted Loke.
The DAP secretary-general further added that the government won’t spend money to build their system. The interested companies must fulfill the criteria set by the ministry and JPJ.
“There are all sorts of criteria and equipment investment required to be a service provider but the government won’t subsidise (them).” — March 24, 2023
