KUALA LUMPUR: Intelligence carried out by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) shocked the authorities when two foreigners were found to be operating taxi services in the federal capital.
JPJ Deputy Director of Enforcement Muhammad Kifli Mahassan said two male Pakitani nationals who were driving taxis in Bukit Bintang, here were detained during a special operation by the department in the federal capital beginning at 8pm last night.
“They did not have valid driving licences nor the public service vehicle licence but dared to carry passengers in their taxis,” he said at a media conference at the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory JPJ Office, here today.
Muhammad Kifli said the two men, aged 39 and 40, were handed over to the Immigration Department for further action while the taxis they were driving were impounded to assist investigation.
He said the JPJ would submit a report to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) so that action could be taken against owners of the vehicles for giving permission to foreigners to drive their vehicles illegally.
He said the report would also urge the SPAD to take appropriate action against the taxi company found to have allowed foreigners to carry out public vehicle transporting services without licence.
“Preliminary investigation found that such activities were on the rise since early this year,” he said.
As such, Muhammad Kifli called on taxi passengers who came across foreign drivers to report to the JPJ so that action could be taken.
In addition, two foreign nationals, one each from Indonesia and India, were detained in a similar operation at Jalan Genting Sempah for driving lorries without licence.
The two men, in their 40’s, were handed over to the Immigration Department while the lorries they were driving were impounded for investigation. --Bernama