Thugs disrupt RTD carrying out operation on overloaded lorry

IJOK - A group of thugs have acted out of control by trying to obstruct the Road Transport Department (RTD) while the personnel were stopping a lorry carrying an excessive load, here, on Saturday.

RTD senior enforcement director Datuk Lokman Jamaan said the incident occurred at about 6pm after the lorry was detained in the Op Patuh Khas operation.

He said as the inspection was about to take place, 20 to 30 individuals showed up and caused trouble by obstructing the personnel from detaining the lorry.

"It is believed that the lorry was driven by a foreign man carrying a load of gravel exceeding 80 per cent of the set limit.

"An initial check found that the lorry has an active offence that has not been resolved," he told Sinar Harian on Monday.

A police report was then lodged by RTD at the Kuala Selangor police station for further action, while the lorry was confiscated.

In the operation, a lorry carrying an excessive load of 108 per cent was detained in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

He said the RTD will continue to monitor and take strict action on heavy vehicles, especially those carrying more than 70 per cent of excessive loads, which were categorised the as most at risk resulting in failure of technical functions and brake systems as well as an increase in the rate of fatal accidents and road damage.

"RTD welcomes the public to make complaints regarding this overloading offence and advises companies and commercial vehicle drivers to always comply with the regulations that have been set to ensure the road ecosystem is always safe for other road users.

"RTD will continue to enforce the laws and regulations under the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Act 715) and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board Act 1987 (Act 334) in order to cultivate the safety of road users," he said.