The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will roll out intensified enforcement operations on heavy vehicles in the lead-up to the Chinese New Year, with particular attention on express buses travelling distances exceeding 300 kilometres to ensure compliance with the mandatory second-driver requirement.
Kuala Lumpur JPJ director Hamidi Adam said the special operations will scrutinise drivers’ licences, adherence to regulated driving hours and the overall roadworthiness of vehicles, including fatigue management measures such as the presence of an additional driver where required. The move, he said, is aimed at strengthening passenger safety as travel volumes surge during the festive period.
“These checks will cover essential passenger safety standards to protect road users who are travelling during the holidays,” he said when contacted yesterday, adding that the operation is designed to improve road safety while keeping traffic movement smooth nationwide.
According to Hamidi, enforcement will also involve temporary restrictions on heavy vehicle movement during specified periods, coupled with technical inspections and firm action against offenders found flouting road traffic regulations. He noted that JPJ will work closely with other enforcement agencies as part of a coordinated strategy to curb accidents and congestion, reflecting the broader need for collective responsibility during peak travel seasons.
While enforcement is carried out year-round, Hamidi said efforts are traditionally intensified during major festivals, including the upcoming Lunar New Year. Last year, Kuala Lumpur JPJ issued 137,192 summonses and seized 955 vehicles, a marginal decrease from the 145,542 summonses recorded the year before. Common offences included expired driving licences, lapsed road tax, lack of insurance, non-compliant tinted windows and overloaded heavy vehicles.
He also highlighted an operation on Jan 27 in which 382 summonses were issued, including to two tour buses operating without tour guides — an offence Hamidi described as serious due to the potential risks to passengers and the country’s tourism image. He urged motorists to ensure their documents are valid and encouraged the public to report traffic offences via the MyJPJ application or aduantrafik@jpj.gov.my
, noting that community participation plays a role in improving road discipline.
At a separate engagement yesterday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that enforcement will be heightened beyond conventional roadblocks, including the deployment of plainclothes officers to board buses. He said 1,305 compounds were issued last year for failure to wear seatbelts on buses, involving 1,147 express buses and 158 tour buses.
Between 2022 and 2025, a total of 507 inspections were conducted at bus terminals and inspection centres during Chinese New Year operations, uncovering 32 cases of buses travelling over 300km without a second driver. Loke stressed that enforcement should be viewed as a safeguard rather than a punishment, underscoring that higher safety standards are essential for sustaining industry growth and public confidence.
During a walkabout at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, Loke observed full seatbelt compliance among passengers on a bus bound for Melaka. He said the aim is to normalise such behaviour through awareness as much as enforcement, reminding that non-compliance carries a RM300 fine. Authorities are also exploring the use of new technologies, including telematics, to enable continuous monitoring of drivers and operators, signalling a shift towards more data-driven enforcement in the future.
