KUALA LUMPUR: The requirement for lorry drivers to undergo a medical check-up to renew their licence is not new, says a source familiar with the industry.
“The procedure is one of the requirements for licence renewal, and as far as I am concerned, it has been there for years,” the source said when contacted today.
“But, if it requires the drivers to go to government hospitals for a full medical check-up, then it is new.
“The same goes with summons, you have to settle it first before you can renew your licence.
“Hence, I don’t know what the lorry drivers are protesting for.”
On Oct 31, nearly 500 lorry drivers staged a protest near the Transport Ministry office in Putrajaya, urging the ministry to reconsider the new licence renewal conditions imposed on them.
It was learned that discontent has been brewing among lorry drivers and associations for a few months.
Parti Rakyat Malaysia Selangor chairman Manikavasagam Sundram, who led the protest, said representatives of the lorry drivers had submitted four requests to meet the minister; Anthony Loke, but had yet to receive any reply, hence they were contemplating organising a mass rally at Parliament.
On Oct 29, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar denied claims that new conditions had been imposed in licence renewal for lorry drivers, especially with regards to health concerns.
He said the licence renewal process, under the purview of the Road Transport Department (RTD), had not changed.
Checks on requirements for Goods Driving Licence (GDL) renewal at RTD’s website revealed that conditions drivers had to fulfil included submission of medical reports and that they were not blacklisted, along with a competent driving licence (CDL) valid for more than one year.
Meanwhile, pictures of empty supermarket shelves due to protests by lorry drivers have been going viral on WhatsApp.
Consumers claimed that there was a shortage of vegetables in the market due to the ongoing protests.
Arman Arshad posted on his Facebook: “I went to the Kemunting wholesale market today and not many vegetables were available.
“When I asked the seller, he said lorry drivers were still protesting, hence no one to deliver it.”
However, retailer Tesco Stores (M) Sdn Bhd said it had not been affected by the strike.
“As of today, we have not seen any impact on our distribution network.”