Representatives from Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH), Malaysia Trucking Federation (MTF), Malaysia Tipper Lorry Operators Association (MTLOA), Malaysia Mobile Crane Owners Association (MMCOA), and Persatuan Usahawan Logistik Semenanjung Malaysia (PULSE) issued a joint statement in a press conference held on 21 February 2025 pertaining the impact on their operations experienced by what they claim to be an ineffective booking system and SOPs which are not transparent.

Although five associations were present, it is to be understood that the situation described would affect the entire commercial vehicle population in the country, regardless of missions performed or location where they are deployed.

Legal Framework
The Road Transport Act 1987 requires that all commercial vehicles to undergo Routine Inspection at PUSPAKOM every 6 months. During an inspection, Puspakom will check all the important parts on a vehicle to make sure they meet the required legal and standard limits. Periodical inspection will help to reduce road accident and safeguard the lives of drivers, passengers and other road users.

The three-decade monopoly of the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) came to an end Friday, 7^th February 2025. While three companies have been appointed by the Ministry of Transport Malaysia to be allowed to offer inspection services, these have yet to commence operations, thus, PUSPAKOM remains the only service provider available until these new appointees are capable to receive commercial vehicles for the mandated inspections.

Ineffective Booking System
At the present time, vehicle operators must make a booking for their inspection via Puspakom’s booking system. The idea being that dedicated slots will be given in order to streamline the process of inspecting and re-introducing the vehicle into the operational fleet. However, it was learned during the press conference that the system is not working as intended.

With reduced capacity by Puspakom, it appears that the number of available slots is not adjusted to reflect the actual capacity of the centres. Consequently, many trucks will be held up for hours before they can be inspected, way past the time they are supposed to be checked according to the booking system.

Inexplicably High Fail Rates
The situation of trucks having to wait or even miss their slots as they cannot be inspected on the day they are supposed to be checked is made worse by a high number of failed trucks that would have to come back for another appointment. Those trucks that have failed the inspection would not be allowed to operate, thus becoming a money-losing liability for the operator until such time that the vehicle will pass the inspection.

As the schedule is typically packed to the brim, a new appointment could be weeks if not months away, according to the present representatives of the associations. The failed trucks are piled on top of the vehicles having to come in for their regular inspection. It appears that there is an inexplicably high number of failed vehicles, as per the memo issued by the associations calling for the meeting.

A transport owner affected by this confirmed that there seems to be random trucks being failed. According to this source, a truck was failed for having a non-conforming mud flap. However, said mud flap would be a standard item for the truck model in questions. Further, the very same truck had passed prior inspections with the mud flap installed and no modifications carried out between inspections. The transporter claimed that this is not something unusual, whereby there is no explanation offered as to why a component on a truck is deemed non-compliant.

Growing Vehicle Populations
With a growing economy, commercial vehicle populations grow in tandem. Malaysia has experienced significant growth. Especially the haulage sector, which is closely linked to the ports, has seen an increase in volumes of movements of trucks. As an indicator for the health of an economy, this has been hailed as a positive sign that the Malaysian economy is on a solid upwards path.

However, the gathered representatives note that there haven’t been any new centres being opened to be able to handle the increase in vehicles on the road. On the contrary, centres are being closed and mobile services curtailed, further worsening the bottleneck that is the inspection needed to operate the vehicles. Though new service providers have been appointed, the situation will not improve anytime soon as it is estimated that these new players will take up to a year from now to be fully operational.

Worsening Situation During Festive Seasons
With the upcoming festive season of Ramadan, the association spokespersons voiced their concern that the situation will worsen drastically. As with any festival, many Puspakom staff will take leave, reducing capacity at the centres. It is acknowledged that festive seasons are joyous occasions and that the transport industry is always supportive of staff celebrating their own festivals, chiming in to the celebrations. However, this situation negatively impacts the operations if it is not managed in a manner that allows for the centres to operate with sufficient capacities.

Economic Impact
Having to wait for the appointment to be carried out will result in loss of working hours that can be allocated to the actual missions of a transport owner. Staff sitting idle at the centres means that they are ineffective and costly. Any follow-on inspection also incurs cost for the appointment, the loss in productivity and related expenses. A truck standing still is the worst possible scenario for any transport company.

Typically, a truck will only be generating profit for five days per month. An idle truck represents a 20 % of profit per day. As transporters will work with limited resources, i.e. a fixed number of trucks to meet the demand of their clients, any job that cannot be carried out as contractually agreed may result in penalties imposed on the transporter. Having to wait for a new inspection date could mean potentially loss of money and goodwill from clients.

A Word on Road Safety
Stressing that road safety is paramount, the associations present welcomed that vehicle inspections on regular basis have to be performed. Considering the exposure that commercial vehicles are subject to, ensuring that they are in tip top condition is not a question profit, but that of responsibility towards society and employees.

With the enhanced pressure on vehicle inspections providers, it was also opined that a lack of trained personnel could lead to hastily carried out inspections whereby issues impacting the safety of commercial vehicles could be overlooked.

Stating that road safety is a subject that concerns everyone on the roads, it was suggested that the appointment of vehicle inspection providers could be handled differently. Vehicle manufacturers for instance would have the best understanding of their own products and could therefore be also taken to task to offers inspection services. In pointing at other countries, the case was made that this could be a feasible approach, as would be to appoint other existing third-party workshops which have successfully operated for many years. Questions were raised as to why cars would not have to be subjected to regular inspections as is the case in other countries.