KUANTAN: Licence suspension of between seven and 30 days await companies found to have employed illegal foreign workers as drivers of buses, taxis and lorries, warned the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
The commission's enforcement chief Datuk Paduka Che Hasni Che Ahmad said this issue needs to be sorted out, in light of risks of accidents involving public transport vehicles.
"It is the responsibility of these operators to check (to ensure that the hiring of drivers of taxis, buses and lorries pass the legal requirements).
"We (SPAD) have to carry out audits especially whenever there is an accident," he said.
He was commenting on a fatal accident at Kampung Sungai Soi here on Sept 25, where a lorry driven by an Indonesian in his 30s collided with a Proton Iswara.
The car's driver, Tuan Mohd Zulhaizee Tuan Temeran, 38, and his father Awang Ariffin, 76, were killed. The driver's mother, Kelsom Hamat, 66, was warded at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) here.
The police had since been on a manhunt for the Indonesian lorry driver, who worked for a company in Ipoh, Perak.
Hasni was speaking at the sidelines of a joint operation between SPAD and the police to inspect lorries at Tanjung Lumpur and Inderapura here today.
During the operation which began early this morning, 31 lorries were caught for committing multiple offences such as overloading and abuse of permits to transport material not allowed by the permits.
Hasni said that SPAD would continue to carry out inspections and enforcement operations nationwide to ensure heavy vehicles obey the law.
"Operators must play their role and be responsible as accidents involving heavy vehicles could lead to serious injuries to both drivers and other road users," he said.
He also urged members of the public to report wrongdoings committed by buses, taxis and lorries to SPAD as the commission appreciates every assistance it could get to ensure operators abide by the law and safeguard the safety of all road users.