JPJ Seized 55 Vehicles From Thailand For Flouting Malaysia Law

Photo: HM. The Road Transport Department (JPJ) seized 55 vehicles from Thailand during the ICP Special Op at three Malaysia-Thailand entry points in Kelantan, including 43 motorcycles, seven four-wheel drive vehicles, and five cars, Utusan Malaysia has reported.

Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan, JPJ's Senior Director of Enforcement, stated that the confiscation was based on the findings of an inspection of 484 vehicles in operation, which began on September 5.
According to Muhammad Kifli, surveillance and intelligence operations conducted over a week revealed that cars from Thailand, driven by either Thai nationals or locals, had illegally entered Malaysia without a valid International Circulation Permit (ICP), or an expired one, insurance, a driver's license, and a number of other technical infractions.
"The operation is carried out using the Road Blocking (SJR) strategy as well as patrols in identified areas that are more than 2 km from the border gate," he told reporters at the ICP Special Operation press conference held yesterday at the Kelantan JPJ headquarters in Panji.
Photo: Utusan.

Muhammad Kifli stated that the most serious violation discovered during the operation was Thailand vehicles entering the country without an ICP registration. In addition, he claimed that Thai nationals were also seen using leniency to enter Malaysia for up to two kilometers (km) from the border entry points.
Vehicles from Thailand entering Malaysia are given an exemption of the International Circulation Permit (ICP), within a two kilometre radius. The 2 km ICP exemption was part of an agreement between Malaysia and Thailand, which was signed in 1993.
The operation also found that foreign vehicle owners were using Malaysian registration numbers; however, upon verification, the number attached to the vehicle's body did not match the one that was registered in their home country.

Photo: Kosmo.
The offense is being investigated under Subsection 108 (3)(e), which carries a fine of RM5,000 to RM20,000, imprisonment for one to five years, or both.
Muhammad Kifli also assured that the JPJ will enforce further steps and actions at the borders to tighten ICP regulations to curb this issue.