The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has begun confiscating commercial vehicles from companies that employ foreign drivers without proper vocational licences.

This enforcement action, which took effect on 7 August 2025, could cost affected companies approximately RM2500 per month per vehicle in operational losses.

What happened

In Malaysia, foreign nationals are not allowed to hold certain vocational driving licences, such as the Goods Driving Licence (GDL) and the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence.

These are mandatory for driving commercial lorries, buses, and other public service vehicles. The JPJ's new enforcement campaign is aimed at companies that ignore these regulations by hiring unlicensed foreign drivers.

Under the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (APAD 2010), JPJ has the authority to issue summonses and confiscate or forfeit vehicles involved in such violations. This includes enforcement under Sections 22, 41, 57, and 80 of the Act.

What we could expect

As of July 2025, JPJ had issued 2733 summonses to foreign drivers for various offences. The majority (2,551) were for driving without a GDL, followed by 93 cases without a PSV licence, and 89 cases related to overloading.

In one recent operation in Selayang, enforcement officers discovered a foreign driver using forged identification documents, including a MyKad, a Competent Driving Licence (CDL), and a GDL.

Authorities believe this may be linked to a document forgery syndicate, which is now under investigation. In another case, an Indonesian driver in Gombak was found operating a vehicle without any valid documentation and has since been handed over to immigration authorities.

From a tech policy perspective, the JPJ’s firm stance here is comparable to security protocols in digital systems—unauthorised access is shut down immediately.

This also serves as a reminder for logistics and transport tech platforms to double-check their driver verification processes.

Could your business be at risk if due diligence is ignored? This latest enforcement round by JPJ highlights the importance of ensuring all drivers have proper and legal credentials.

Do you think stricter rules will lead to better compliance in Malaysia's commercial transport sector? Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates.