KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Owners of seized vehicles must still renew their road tax before they can retrieve them, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today, amid claims that some luxury vehicle owners are opting to pay fines instead of renewing their road tax.
Loke said paying the RM300 fine under the Road Transport Act does not exempt offenders from renewing their expired road tax.
“Even though the fine is cheaper than renewing their vehicle’s road tax, that doesn’t mean they can avoid it.
“They still need to pay their road tax before they can retrieve their vehicles,” he told reporters.
Yesterday, the Road Safety Expert Association (PPKJR) warned that the outdated Road Transport Act is being exploited by wealthy drivers, who are willing to pay the fine rather than renew their road tax and insurance — turning what should be a penalty into a routine payment.
The group said the current RM300 minimum fine fails to deter such offences and has not curbed the growing trend.
