New policy to show old vehicles ‘end of the road’

PUTRAJAYA: The Government is in the final stages of changing the End of Life Vehicle policy to address the abandoned vehicles issue, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

“The new policy is expected to be implemented by mid-2018,” he told reporters at his ministry yesterday.

The Transport Minister said amendments were being made to the Road Transport Act 1987.

He said the new policy will also require the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government and Natural Resources and Environment ministries to amend their regulations.

Liow said abandoned vehicles formed the second highest grouse in the country this year, after stray cats and dogs, according to the sta-

Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai

tistics compiled by Public Complaints Bureau.

“The situation has worsened. The local councils are faced with diffi- culty as the abandoned vehicles are huge rubbish bins,” he said.

Liow said while there was the registration card for vehicles, “there is no document like a death certificate” for vehicles.

“The authorities cannot confiscate abandoned cars from the roadside,” he lamented.

On a separate matter, Liow said the appeal of AirAsia Bhd on the passenger service charge (PSC) was being looked into.

“AirAsia has appealed to the Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry and Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

“We understand it will have an impact on many people.

“The Finance Ministry will look into the appeal,” he added.

Liow declined to comment when asked if the Government would consider putting off the implementation of the PSC.

“The matter is under the Finance Ministry as MAHB is under its jurisdiction. The matter will be looked into,’’ he added.

Earlier, AirAsia group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes criticised the move by airport regulator, Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), to equalise the PSC rates at the KL International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2.

From next month, passengers taking international flights to non-Asean destinations from KLIA2 will have to pay the same PSC of RM73 as other airports, up from RM50.

The situation has worsened. The local councils are faced with difficulty as the abandoned vehicles are huge rubbish bins.