Lorry drivers disobeys weigh-in notices, unload before RTD checks

KUANTAN - Pahang Road Transport Department (RTD) issues five weigh-in notices on lorries that were found overloaded in operation held near Jalan Kuantan-Sungai Lembing and Jalan Kuantan-Pekan, here on Tuesday.

Its director Kamarul Iskandar Nordin said he found that there were drivers who failed to obey the notice released under Section 63(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

He said out of the five lorries that the weigh-in notices were released to, one failed to attend while two were spotted throwing away their load before weighing in at the Pahang RTD Complex, Indera Mahkota.

"Two more were charged under the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) for the offence of carrying more than 35 per cent of the permitted limit," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Kamarul said for the offence of throwing away the load and not attending the weigh-in, the drivers involved would be brought to court with a fine not exceeding RM10,000 if convicted.

"For cases under APAD, the driver, as well as the company, would be brought to court and if found guilty faces a sentence of up to RM500,000," he said.

He said the operations were carried out as a patrol had detected lorries operating with an expired road tax.

The lorries were stopped and ordered to be weighed in the Pahang JPJ complex using a mobile weighing unit.

"Pahang RTD will take action on the companies and lorry drivers who were detected carrying a load over its capacity until it could threaten the safety and lives of other road users.

"The actions could cause damages on road surfaces and be at a risk of causing an accident or damaging other users' vehicle," he said.

He said the public had multiple methods to file their complaints including through the MyJPJ or e-aduan@JPJ that could be downloaded through the Google PlayStore and Apple AppStore or an e-mail could be sent to [email protected].