KUALA LUMPUR: The braking system, side slip and tyres have been identified as the top three issues affecting commercial vehicles such as lorries and buses during Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) assessments.
Puspakom chief executive officer Mahmood Razak Bahman said over 200,000 commercial vehicles failed their annual inspections.
"Every year, some 220,000 vehicles, or eight per cent of the 2.8 million commercial vehicles inspected, fail due to various reasons. This shows that these vehicles are not roadworthy.
"Puspakom's strict inspection procedures demonstrate our commitment to ensuring vehicle safety," he said.
Established in 1994, Puspakom was the sole government-appointed vehicle inspection company for mandatory assessments commercial and private vehicles until Aug 31, 2024.
Beginning Sept 1, it transitioned into a licensed vehicle inspection company after the government opened periodic vehicle inspection services to qualified competitors.
Puspakom conducts inspections to ensure vehicles comply with road safety and environmental standards, including emissions tests.
It operates 53 centres, supported by more than 25 mobile units, conducting around three million inspections annually.
On Monday, the Road Transport Department (RTD) conducted surprise inspections at Puspakom centres to ensure that heavy vehicles passing through met regulatory standards.
At Puspakom Wangsa Maju, the RTD discovered unsafe, worn-out retread tyres on commercial vehicles, posing a significant risk of tyre explosions.
Following the operation, RTD confirmed that it would investigate the impounded vehicles and the Puspakom employees who approved these non-compliant lorries.
Puspakom has since confirmed that two of its employees at the Wangsa Maju centre were summoned to provide statements to RTD.
Mahmood acknowledged the challenges faced by Puspakom staff, including threats and mistreatment by vehicle owners when their vehicles failed inspections.
"Some of our staff have been verbally abused, berated and assaulted by vehicle owners and drivers. This reflects a poor road safety culture among some commercial vehicle operators.
"I urge everyone to recognise their shared responsibility in ensuring road safety. It's not solely the responsibility of enforcement agencies or Puspakom.
"With collective awareness, Malaysia's roads can be safer for all."
Mahmood refuted allegations of lack of inspection transparency, saying the RTD conducted regular audits, including surprise inspections, at Puspakom centres.
The Transport Ministry, he said, mandated annual third-party audits of Puspakom's performance.
"Last year, Puspakom was audited by IIUM Consultancy and Innovation Sdn Bhd, and the findings showed no lack of transparency.
"Puspakom has consistently scored above 95 per cent."
Beginning 2025, under the new licensing system, Puspakom will be audited by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.
"Most of our inspections are computerised, with data directly uploaded to a central database that generates the inspection reports," Mahmood said.
He highlighted the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Puspakom's efforts to improve inspection accuracy and reduce processing time.
"We are always looking to improve, including piloting 18-hour operations at our Glenmarie branch. This project could double inspection capacity.
"AI technology will enhance accuracy and cut inspection times significantly. Inspecting a vehicle's underside typically takes 10 minutes, but with AI, it could be reduced to 60 seconds," he said.
On reports of heavy vehicle operators renting tyres to pass inspections, he condemned the practice as irresponsible.
"Puspakom's role is to inspect the current condition of vehicles at its centres. We are aware of the tyre rental practice, and operators must understand that renting tyres poses a road safety risk.
"All commercial vehicles must pass Puspakom inspections every six months under the Road Transport Act 1987. We welcome any new method introduced by RTD to address the issue."