Demand for transfer of logistics and delivery vehicles also raised by protestor
Foreign Drivers Prohibited from Holding Vocational Licenses in Malaysia
In a bid to enhance road user safety, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in Malaysia has announced strict enforcement measures against companies that employ foreign drivers without the proper vocational licenses.
JPJ enforcement director Kifli Ma Hassan stated that the increasing trend of companies hiring foreign drivers for commercial vehicles, such as lorries, public service vehicles, and tour buses, is a serious offense. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010, which prohibits foreigners from holding vocational licenses like the Goods Driver’s Licence (GDL) or the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license.
Companies found violating this regulation face severe consequences. JPJ has the authority to confiscate commercial vehicles from companies employing foreign drivers without valid vocational licenses, and these vehicles can be forfeited in court if the companies are found guilty.
Recent enforcement actions have resulted in thousands of summonses issued for cases involving no GDL or PSV license. Foreign drivers cannot legally hold or use these vocational licenses in Malaysia.
Similarly, other countries like Japan and Kuwait have their own rules for license conversion or validity, but these do not generally permit foreigners to hold vocational licenses for commercial vehicles without passing specific licensing requirements. For instance, Japan requires conversion processes and sometimes tests depending on the country of origin, while Kuwait has updated its licensing terms with distinctions between citizens and expatriates but no explicit allowance for foreign vocational driving licenses on commercial vehicles.
Hisham, the JPJ director-general, has stressed the shared responsibility of road safety and warned negligent employers who prioritize profit over the law that they will face strict action. He made it clear that these enforcement actions are not only targeted at logistics firms, public transport operators, and delivery companies but are intended to be carried out nationwide.
The collaboration between JPJ, immigration, and police agencies ensures that these enforcement measures are carried out effectively and consistently. The message is clear: road user safety is a priority, and companies must comply with the law to operate commercial vehicles in Malaysia.
- Malaysia's Road Transport Department (JPJ) has emphasized the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010, which prohibits foreigners from holding vocational licenses like the Goods Driver’s Licence (GDL) or the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license, within the industry of transportation, particularly in public-transit vehicles.
- In the realm of finance, companies found violating this regulation in Malaysia face severe consequences, including confiscation of commercial vehicles and potential forfeiture in court.
- Globally, other countries like Japan and Kuwait follow their own rules for license conversion or validity but do not generally permit foreigners to hold vocational licenses for commercial vehicles without passing specific licensing requirements, much like Malaysia.
