More than 60,000 of the 90,000 commercial vehicle operators in Peninsular Malaysia have yet to re-register with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

Disclosing this today, SPAD chairperson Syed Hamid Albar noted that they have only two months before the Sept 30 closing date.

"If they don't re-register, their licences will become invalid by default," he told reporters after a meeting with 150 commercial vehicle operators in Kuantan.

He warned them that the deadline will not be extended.

"Doing so would only encourage them to delay further until the last minute.

"They will just have to bear the consequences when their licences are no longer valid through their own fault," Syed Hamid said.

Syed Hamid said the exercise was to update information on licence holders such as their address, telephone number and age.

He suspected that many licence holders were afraid to re-register because they had sub-leased the licences to a third party.

"They do not have to be afraid.  SPAD will go state to state and assist them.

"Whether they operate the business themselves or not, they still have to re-register, and after that change the way they operate," he said.

- Bernama