A total of 190 luxury vehicles have been seized by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Perak since January 1 under Op Luxury, with owners found to have failed to maintain valid insurance coverage and road tax.
Perak JPJ director Mohammad Yusoff Abustan said 121 of the vehicles had since been released, while the remaining 69 were still being held at five JPJ branches across the state.
He said some luxury vehicle owners appeared willing to spend heavily on expensive cars but were reluctant to pay for the necessary insurance and road tax.
“Sometimes this is human nature. They want to show off and can afford to buy luxury vehicles, but in reality, they do not want to bear the cost of insurance coverage and road tax.
“So we believe they are trying to avoid complying with regulations while using the vehicles on the road,” he told reporters during a press conference on Op Motosikal Ekstrem here on Thursday.
Mohammad Yusoff stressed that luxury vehicle owners should not take their obligation to maintain valid insurance and road tax lightly, as these documents protect the rights and interests of other road users in the event of an accident.
He said the absence of insurance could leave victims involved in an accident without access to compensation they would otherwise be entitled to claim.
“Without insurance, victims who are hit or involved in an accident may be denied their rights as road users. Among other things, they may not be able to obtain the compensation they should be entitled to,” he said.
He added that driving without insurance could result in action under Section 90(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, while failing to have a valid motor vehicle licence or road tax could result in action under Section 23(1) of the same Act.
Mohammad Yusoff also clarified that enforcement action is not limited to drivers, as vehicle owners can also be held responsible for allowing their vehicles to be used without valid documents.
“For example, if an owner allows someone else to drive a vehicle without insurance and road tax, four summonses can be issued — two against the owner and two against the driver,” he said.
