Loke: No compromise on crackdown against overloaded lorries

• Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said some industry players had long taken advantage of the lack of strict enforcement to operate overloaded lorries, and some are now lobbying the government to relax the ongoing crackdown.

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 27): Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook (pictured) has reiterated that there will be no compromise in enforcing laws against overloaded lorries, despite appeals from industry groups for leniency due to higher operating costs.

Loke said profit “is not everything”, stressing that the government’s top priority is to protect road users’ safety amid a rise in accidents linked to overloaded heavy vehicles.

“The enforcement will continue. It is better for these companies to take responsibility and ensure their lorries do not exceed the legal weight limits,” he told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday during the oral question-and-answer session.

Read also
Builders say crackdown on overloaded lorries could delay projects across country

He was responding to Syahredzan Johan (PH–Bangi), who asked about the ministry’s stance following pushback from construction industry associations over the nationwide crackdown on overloaded lorries, which began on Oct 15 and will run until Dec 31.

Last Friday, the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM), Persatuan Kontraktor Bumiputra Malaysia (PKBM), and Persatuan Kontraktor India Malaysia (PKIM) issued a joint statement warning that the sudden enforcement—implemented without a transition period—could “paralyse” the construction sector.

Loke said some industry players had long taken advantage of the lack of strict enforcement to operate overloaded lorries, and some are now lobbying the government to relax the ongoing crackdown.

“I’m disappointed with some of these industry players. They have known about the issue for years, yet they still want me to negotiate with them. To me, that challenges the ministry’s authority.

“So I said forget about it. There will be no negotiations—enforcement will continue,” Loke said.

As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: PENANG Investing Towards 2030.