A total of 1,106 vehicles were inspected during the Road Transport Department’s (RTD) Ops Sepadu conducted in Kuala Lumpur last night, resulting in 124 vehicles being penalised for various offences.

Kuala Lumpur RTD director Hamidi Adam said the most common offence was driving without a valid licence, with 103 cases recorded.

This was followed by expired road tax (70 cases), lack of insurance coverage (58), non-compliant registration plates (18), vehicle modifications (one), and missing side mirrors (one). A total of 253 notices were issued during the operation.

The operation, conducted along Jalan Raja Laut from 8pm to midnight, also saw the seizure of three cars and eight motorcycles, including one found using a fake registration plate.

“In line with the government’s road safety campaign, the operation aims to raise public awareness, particularly during the upcoming festive season,” Hamidi told reporters during a site visit last night.

The operation was carried out in collaboration with the police, the Immigration Department, and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), with a total of 73 personnel involved.

The Immigration Department detained eight foreign nationals, including one Pakistani, three Indonesians, and four Bangladeshis. One of the detainees, employed by a cleaning company, was caught driving without a valid licence.

“I urge employers to ensure their foreign workers possess valid work permits and driving licences if they are required to operate vehicles,” Hamidi said.

AADK reported that five individuals tested positive for drugs, while police issued 62 notices for various traffic violations.

Hamidi also highlighted that from Monday to Friday last week, Kuala Lumpur RTD inspected 808,436 vehicles, penalising 915 offenders. The operation, conducted in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations, will continue until Feb 9.

He added that monitoring efforts would continue to address potential traffic congestion. On Thursday alone, about 1.27 million vehicles entered the Kuala Lumpur city centre between 10am and 10pm, raising the risk of gridlock without effective management measures.

- Bernama