JPJ Cracks Down on Foreign Drivers with 500,000 Traffic Summonses Issued

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has issued 500,000 traffic summonses to foreign drivers since 2023, representing a potential value of RM150 million based on a maximum penalty of RM300 per offence. This surge in enforcement is part of the ongoing Op Pemandu Warga Asing (Op PeWA), an initiative targeting the growing prevalence of foreign nationals operating vehicles on Malaysian roads without proper legal documentation.

According to the original publisher, Paultan.org, the JPJ adopted a significantly more aggressive enforcement stance starting in July this year. Senior director of enforcement Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan stated that the department’s current policy mandates that cases must now be settled in court. Until these legal proceedings are concluded, the vehicles involved are subject to immediate seizure and are prohibited from being driven on public roads.

The enforcement operation covers a broad spectrum of foreign road users, ranging from tourists to migrant workers. JPJ officials have identified various critical infractions, including driving without valid licences, missing road tax, and lack of insurance. Furthermore, authorities have noted specific concerns regarding the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes, such as the transport of scrap metal and used goods, often by individuals lacking the mandatory Goods Driving Licence (GDL).

Geographically, the crackdown is focused on identified hotspots in Kedah, Kelantan, Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak. State JPJ offices have received explicit instructions to conduct thorough inspections of every foreign driver detained during these operations. Beyond traffic violations, the department has stated that any discovered immigration offences—such as expired visas or lack of valid work permits—are being referred directly to the Immigration Department for further action.

For the average Malaysian driver and SME owner, this shift in enforcement carries significant implications. The seizure of vehicles is intended to mitigate risks posed by untrained drivers, but it also signals a potential tightening of vehicle lending practices. Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan has explicitly warned local vehicle owners against renting or lending their cars to foreign nationals who do not meet the legal requirements to operate them. This suggests that Malaysians found facilitating these breaches could face increased scrutiny or legal repercussions for their role in enabling unlicensed drivers.

From a business perspective, the crackdown may force a shift in the informal logistics sector. Many SMEs and small businesses have historically relied on foreign staff to transport goods; however, with the strict enforcement of GDL requirements and the threat of permanent vehicle seizure, businesses may be forced to professionalise their transport operations. This is likely to lead to higher operational costs for smaller enterprises, which may eventually be passed on to consumers as the economy contends with a 1.9% inflation rate and a 6.0% GDP growth landscape.

This push by the JPJ represents a strategic pivot toward restoring road safety standards amidst a broader push for regulatory compliance. While Malaysia continues to maintain a 3.0% unemployment rate, the integration of foreign labour into the transport sector has clearly outpaced the enforcement of necessary training and licensing standards. This move is consistent with the current government emphasis on ensuring that those who benefit from the local economy, including those using the nation’s infrastructure, are held to the same legal standards as citizens.

Market observers and stakeholders should continue to monitor whether this "court-first" approach significantly clears the backlog of foreign-driven vehicles or if it creates new logistical challenges for industries reliant on foreign labour. While the crackdown is clearly aimed at high-risk hotspots, it remains to be seen if the operational capacity of the JPJ is sufficient to maintain this momentum nationwide in the long term.

What remains unconfirmed is the exact percentage of the RM150 million in summonses that has been successfully collected, as well as the total number of vehicles that have been permanently forfeited by the state following the recent shift in court-mandated settlements. The impact of these vehicle seizures on the resale value of second-hand cars in border states also remains a matter for future market analysis.