Unruly container truck drivers irk Padang Besar residents

PADANG BESAR - The attitude of some container lorry drivers from a neighbouring country of not adhering to traffic regulations when waiting for their turn to enter Thailand via the Padang Besar Immigration, Customs, and Quarantine Complex ( ICQ) is unnerving other motorists, especially local residents.

Unhappy individuals have taken to social media recently to implore the authorities to look into the matter before any untoward incidents befall other road users.

An observation by Bernama found about 100 container lorries waiting for their turn to be inspected before being allowed to leave the country causing massive traffic congestion over one kilometer starting from the Padang Besar overhead bridge to the ICQ Complex from 3pm.

A trader who only wished to be identified as Awang, 60, said every day hundreds of container lorries from Thailand would be queuing at the Padang Besar ICQ from 3pm thus disrupting traffic in the area.

"Some container truck drivers even ignore the law in their hurry to return home.

"They (container truck drivers) would attempt to jump the queue in the already chaotic situation, thus worsening confusion and endangering other motorists,” he told Bernama.

Awang alleged that the matter has become a daily occurrence in Padang Besar and these drivers have grown bolder and are not respecting local residents as no firm actions are taken against them.

Also sharing the view was Ismail Yaakob, 54, who said it is the attitude of these lorry drivers in not waiting for their turns that caused the traffic jam.

"I could see traffic police monitoring every evening and issuing summonses to errant lorry drivers who breach traffic regulations,” he said.

He proposed that the Royal Malaysian Customs Department looks into the mechanism to expedite the process of facilitating the movements of commercial vehicles at the border checkpoint to resolve the daily traffic mayhem.

He said some container truck drivers are behaving like thugs when they manoeuver their huge vehicles as they wish without any consideration for other motorists.

Meanwhile, Padang Besar police chief Supt Saifudin Aslin Abbas said police viewed the matter seriously and would not compromise in acting against these errant drivers.

"Yesterday, police issued 10 summonses against these commercial vehicles for various traffic offences,” he said.

Perlis Road Transport Department (RTD) director Fatimah Mohamed Ali Piah said the matter has been going on for a long time and it is getting more serious due to upgrading work at the entrance now.

"The Padang Besar RTD Border Control Station (SKS) is constantly monitoring this issue and immediate action has been taken by conducting more frequent patrols to ensure that there are no violations of the law to obstruct the flow of traffic at the Padang Besar roundabout," she said. - BERNAMA