The Johor Trucking Association (JTA) urges the Ministry of Transport to delay the speed limiter device enforcement, citing supply and SOP issues.
We Are Struggling to Meet the Oct 1 Deadline – JTA President
The Johor Trucking Association (JTA) has urged the Malaysian Ministry of Transport (MoT) to delay the enforcement of the speed limiter device (SLD) system on commercial vehicles, which is set to begin on October 1, 2025.
According to the JTA’s official Facebook page, the association held a meeting with Mr Tee Boon Tsong, the Assistant of Deputy Minister at the MoT, on August 13. During the meeting, the JTA voiced its concerns regarding the enforcement of the SLD system.
The first concern is about responsibility. The JTA thinks that one person’s mistake should not affect the whole company. “The fault of a single driver often results in all drivers and the company bearing the consequences. We propose a fairer allocation of responsibility — for example, suspending the driver’s license, sending them back to driving school for retraining, or introducing mandatory annual refresher training — to prevent the entire company from paying for an individual’s error,” the JTA wrote.
The second concern is about the period. According to its statement, the JTA supports the implementation of the SLD policy. However, the government needs to “allow a reasonable grace period, along with comprehensive installation guidelines and an approved panel workshop list, to make implementation more practical and workable”.
Another concern is regarding transparency. The JTA recommends that the audit SOP be standardised and be more transparent to achieve a balanced approach between penalties and corrective measures.
The last concern that the JTA voiced during the meeting is about enhancing operator capability. “We hope the government will introduce more training and educational programs to help operators understand and comply with ICOP safety mechanisms. One suggestion is to establish a permanent joint committee between operators and authorities to discuss continuous improvements, ensuring that policies are aligned with real-world industry operations,” wrote the JTA.
Meanwhile, on August 16, the JTA president, Chai Pei Yoon, further said that SLD system enforcement should be postponed. “With less than two months to go until the October 1 enforcement date, we are unsure whether local suppliers have enough time to import the devices. There is also no standard operating procedure (SOP) from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) or appointed third-party installers at the moment, so operators may end up paying arbitrary installation fees,” she said during an interview with The Star.
Chai also said that many vehicles in Malaysia are more than 10 years old and still rely on a traditional diesel system instead of an ECU. Therefore, according to Chai, they would have to rely on third-party installations, especially on Japanese-made trucks.
“Local suppliers say they do not have the necessary certificates to install SLDs on Japanese trucks, which is another challenge for us. While we support the move to improve road safety and reduce fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles, we are struggling to meet the October 1 deadline,” Chai explained.
“We hope enforcement can be pushed to January 1 to ensure full compliance and prevent lorry operators from receiving summonses due to unclear guidelines,” she added.
The Ministry’s Plan to Enforce SLD
SLD is an automatic speed control system that functions to electronically limit a vehicle’s speed through the Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Loke said the rule applies to all commercial vehicles, specifically goods vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) exceeding 3,500kg and passenger vehicles with a GVW exceeding 5,000kg and carrying more than eight passengers.
The enforcement of SLD installation will be carried out in three phases:
– Phase 1, starting October 1, involves mandatory verification of SLD functionality for all commercial vehicles manufactured after January 1, 2015.
– Phase 2, effective from January 1, 2026, involves the activation of SLD via the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for vehicles built before January 1, 2015.
– Phase 3, which begins July 1, 2026, will require retrofit installation of approved SLD units on commercial vehicles not yet equipped with the system.
On July 29, during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that SLD system implementation is non-negotiable, starting October 1. “If a vehicle does not have this system, it will not pass vehicle inspection and will not be allowed on the road. Any pushback should be met with the reminder that safety must take priority over costs and business profits,” he explained.
Loke also said that some industry players would try to push back, but urged Dewan Rakyat members to support the program. In terms of ensuring greater road safety and preserving human lives, I hope the Honourable Members will support the government’s efforts to ensure this implementation proceeds smoothly,” he said at the time.
