KUALA LUMPUR, 26 March 2025: The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) welcomes and fully supports the recent initiatives announced by the Minister of Transport, YB Anthony Loke, aimed at reducing congestion at Puspakom* and improving the efficiency of vehicle inspections.
This comprehensive and proactive approach will significantly benefit tourism industry players, particularly those in the transportation sector, by addressing longstanding operational challenges.
Effective 17 March 2025, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) introduced improvements, including Self-Declaration for Non-Safety Inspection Items. Items such as body lettering, speed limit signs, first aid kits, vehicle number plates and seat conditions will no longer require mandatory inspections.
This will reduce excessive administrative burden and enable companies to prioritise vehicle safety. This move aligns with MATTA’s earlier proposal to prevent vehicles from failing inspections due to these minor technical issues.
The Exemption for Heavy Vehicles also allows tourism transport operators to utilise highways while heading to Puspakom for inspections. This decision will provide much-needed relief for operators, ensuring that vehicle inspections do not disrupt daily operations and scheduled tourism activities. MATTA appreciates the MOT’s initiative in engaging relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Works and the Malaysian Highway Authority, to implement this practical solution.
Another significant improvement is the Extension of the Periodic Inspection Period from 14 days to 30 days before the expiry of the Motor Vehicle License (LKM). This extension gives tourism transport operators more flexibility in scheduling their vehicle inspections, reducing operational downtime and enhancing service reliability for tourists.
MATTA acknowledges Puspakom’s improvement measures, particularly the Elimination of Multiple Slot Bookings and Extension of Operating Hours. These efforts will streamline the inspection process, reduce waiting times, and allow operators to plan their schedules more effectively, especially during peak travel seasons.
“We would like to take this opportunity to praise the MOT for taking a solution-oriented approach to resolving these longstanding issues. These initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to supporting the tourism industry and ensuring a more seamless, efficient, and business-friendly environment for transport operators,” said Nigel Wong, President of MATTA president Nigel Wong.
“MATTA looks forward to continued collaboration with MOT and other stakeholders to further enhance Malaysia’s tourism transportation ecosystem and better support our members.”
*Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer, or Puspakom, is a Malaysian computerised vehicle inspection company owned by DRB-HICOM. Established in 1994. Puspakom is the main inspection centre for commercial vehicles throughout Malaysia. It has 50 permanent branches and 21 scheduled branches. (Wikipedia).
