PUTRAJAYA: The government’s decision to extend the validity of approved operator’s licences for public service vehicles and commercial vehicles to at least three years up to five years would make the transportation industry more efficient, said the Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH).
Its president Soo Chee Yeong said AMH has requested for this renewal of commercial vehicle licence process to be simplified and transparent for many years and finally it happened after many meetings with the Transport Ministry (MOT) and Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
“The decision would ease our container haulage operations as we have one prime mover attached to five to seven trailers.
“Some of my members have a few hundred trucks with a few thousand trailers nationwide. If they get to renew the licence for only one year, every single equipment has to be attached with the licence and road tax copy. By the time they have done the paperwork, they have to think of the next renewal. The one-year licence renewal was very impractical,” he told Bernama here today.
On May 7, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong announced that MOT through APAD had decided to extend the validity of approved operator’s licences for public service vehicles and commercial vehicles to at least three years up to five years from previously between one and two years depending on the fulfilled criteria. The review was due to the difficulties that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused the transport industry.
Soo said that with the approval of MOT to extend it a minimum of three years, it definitely helps industry players to reduce the workload and make the transportation industry more efficient, not only for haulage.
He said with the new conditions required which are transparent namely compliance with safety standards, finances, licensing and company or Companies Commission of Malaysia, industry players will now know which criteria needed to improve if they fail to renew the licence.
Syarikat Logistik Petikemas Sdn Bhd managing director Abdullah Mahmud said the initiative was a positive move that will alleviate the difficulties faced by genuine players in the industry in getting the permits renewed, reduce the management cost as well as safeguard the health of its officers by having fewer face-to-face dealings with APAD officials.
“Kudos to MOT for showing an understanding of the industry’s plight and we hope MOT will agree to engage with our association to come out with more initiatives to improve the industry without compromising on policies, especially safety policies,” he said.
Operators of public service vehicles and commercial vehicles are eligible for the five-year licence provided they fulfil certain conditions among which are safety standards, the company must attend the iCOP safety training, each vehicle needs to be registered with APAD and equipped with GPS and the company’s vehicle fleet has no active summonses from police or the Road Transport Department.
Besides that, the company must also submit its latest annual audited report, achieved more than 80 per cent of yearly revenue forecast which are applicable only to goods vehicles as well as having an active permit with the vehicle. – Bernama
