TIPPER LORRY OPERATORS' ASSOCIATION URGES TRANSPORT MINISTRY FOR WIN-WIN SITUATION ON OVERLOADING ISSUE

From Syamsiah Sahat

BEIJING, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Tipper Lorry Operators’ Association (MTLOA) chairman Datuk Michael Loo Leep Chye has urged the Transport Ministry to consider a win-win situation over the overloaded lorries issue.

Loo claimed that tipper lorry operators were pressured into following customer demands in wanting to send their materials according to their liking.

"We only can carry loads as set by the Weight with Load (BDM) while lorries can now carry more loads safely according to the current development of automotive capacity,” he told Bernama when met during a business visit to China from Nov 23 to 28.

He also said that Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook’s intention of assigning Road Transport Department (JPJ) enforcement officers in quarry areas to tackle overloaded vehicles would cause concerns that might lead to confrontations and boycotts, which would affect the construction industry negatively.

He also stressed that they would never reject government efforts in tackling the issue of overloaded vehicles, but insisted that the Transport Ministry be open to listening to the grouses of local lorry operators.

He urged the government to update the guidelines on load limits for commercial vehicles so that it would be in line with current developments of automotive technology, pointing out that the last time such an update was done was in 2018, which he claimed was outdated.

“Also announce clear guidelines that are applicable to customers who wish to engage our services so that we can reject their demands should they wish us to carry loads over the permitted limit,” he added.

-- BERNAMA