The Ministry of Transport has again emphasised that it had never introduced a new condition or policy for lorry drivers who wished to renew their driving licences.

Its minister, Anthony Loke Siew Fook said all conditions and policies including legal action applicable currently were all as they had been as stated in the Land Public Transport Act 2010.

He pointed out that there were groups who deliberately pitted the lorry drivers against one another to the extent of creating confusion which resulted in strikes among the lorry drivers recently.

“Actually what we had implemented all this while was nothing new, all were existing conditions whether the amount of summonses, carrying excess goods, health check-ups or even the renewal of driving licences [...] all were under the Land Public Transport Act 2010 which had been approved by Parliament several years ago.

“There are groups who try to influence some lorry drivers for the benefit of certain groups to the extent that confusion occurred and sentiments were raised so that the lorry drivers would go on strike,” he said after officiating the closing of the MNSC Robotics Competition at the national level in Seremban today.

Thus, Loke said the question of reviewing the regulations or policies concerned did not arise.

“This matter is under the jurisdiction of the Road Transport Department (JPJ), I did not give any instruction to RTD director-general Shaharuddin Khalid and in fact,  what is enforced is in accordance with existing law.

“I have directed the RTD DG to look at the memorandum sent by the lorry drivers while they were on strike and I had asked him to give a briefing to the lorry drivers' association,” he said.

On Thursday, several groups of lorry drivers had held peaceful demonstrations at several locations throughout the country in efforts to urge the Transport Ministry to relax legal action imposed on commercial transportation services.

Besides medical check-ups by doctors for the renewal of commercial vehicle licences and public transport vehicle licences, they also urged that consideration be given on the issues of high summonses, overloaded cargo, vehicle inspections, reduction in the time of roadblocks and reduction in demerit points.

About 500 lorry drivers had also gathered at the grounds of the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya to express their demand before handing the memorandum to Loke who was represented by RTD Enforcement Division director, Khairul Anuar Bachok. - Bernama