Thirty-four vehicle owners in Kelantan have been brought before the court for various offences, including renting out their vehicles to Rohingya individuals without valid driving licences.
Kelantan Road Transport Department (RTD) director Mohd Misuari Abdullah said the cases, recorded up to June, resulted in total fines amounting to RM34,000.
He said the action formed part of the department’s intensified enforcement against vehicle owners who allow unlicensed individuals to use or drive their vehicles.
“Kelantan was among the earliest states to bring vehicle owners directly to court as part of efforts to make enforcement more effective,” he said.
Under Op PeWA, conducted between January and June, Misuari said 85 per cent of the foreign offenders detected were Rohingya.
During the operation, authorities inspected 180 vehicles and seized 105 of them, while 201 notices involving 439 offences were issued.
The most common offence was driving without a Competent Driving Licence (CDL), accounting for 210 cases, followed by misuse of the Motor Vehicle Licence involving 105 cases.
Overall enforcement operations during the same period saw 576 vehicles inspected, with 457 seized and 908 summonses issued.
Misuari stressed that Rohingya individuals are not permitted to drive vehicles in Malaysia without a valid CDL.
He added that vehicle owners who rent out or lend their vehicles to individuals without valid driving licences could face prosecution under Section 23(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
“Vehicles will also be seized immediately if they are found to have been involved in offences.
“We urge the public not to be blinded by rental profits, as stern action will continue to be taken to safeguard the safety of all road users,” he said.
The Kelantan RTD had previously revealed that it uncovered a new trend involving Rohingya individuals renting vehicles from local Malaysians, including luxury models, for their daily activities.
Misuari said most of those involved did not purchase vehicles outright but instead rented them from locals at rates ranging from RM50 to RM500 a month.
