MOT and JPJ target overloaded trucks with stricter enforcement, body cams, armed officers, and a three-strike penalty system.
My Patience Has Run Out – Transport Minister Loke
The Ministry of Transport (MOT), through the Road Transport Department (JPJ), has launched an enforcement initiative called the “War on Overloaded Commercial Vehicles” to curb non-compliance and complacency among heavy transport operators.
According to JPJ‘s official statement, the operation began on October 14 and will run until December 31, 2025. The enforcement is carried out across five main zones: North, Central, South, East, and Borneo.
Each state deploys four enforcement teams, totalling 12 active teams per zone, with each series of operations lasting seven consecutive days. The focus is on hotspot areas involving commercial vehicles carrying excess loads such as stone, sand, soil, silica, coal, iron, palm oil and logs, particularly around quarries, ports and heavy industrial areas.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a press conference that there would be some changes implemented in the operation, where fines are not the only enforcement measure, but also permit and licence revocation.
“Starting today, we are introducing a new system. During the first enforcement operation, if a vehicle is found to be overloaded, a fine will be issued according to the severity of the offence,” said Loke.
“For a second offence, the vehicle’s permit will be revoked. For a third offence, the company’s entire operator’s licence will be cancelled, regardless of how many permits it holds. For example, if a company has 500 vehicle permits and its operator’s licence is revoked, all 500 permits will be voided. The entire company will no longer be allowed to operate,” he added.
Loke admitted that the previous method, by giving an RM300 fine, failed to address the problem effectively and even bred a culture of complacency where paying that amount of fine was deemed “worth it” to keep overloading.
“Many heavy-transport operators felt it was worth simply paying the fines. This is because when they overload their vehicles, their returns per trip exceed RM300,” the minister explained.
To do their jobs, JPJ officers, said Loke, will be equipped with pistols for protection. They are also required to use body cams to rebut any corruption allegation. “Some might say that JPJ officers are looking for bribes and the like. Therefore, I have instructed JPJ enforcement officers to begin using body-worn cameras (BWCs),” said the minister.
During the press conference, Loke also issued a warning for non-compliant operators. “When we take such action later, I do not want to hear anyone claiming that we are being cruel or trying to shut down their businesses. Warnings have already been issued. There will be no more compromises, because my patience has run out,” Loke said.
