Cloned vehicles worth more than RM40 million impounded - Ismail Ahmad

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) impounded 1,290 units of cloned cars worth more than RM40 million in operations throughout the country since January last year.

JPJ Director-General Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad said most of the impounded vehicles were luxury cars including Lexus, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mini Cooper and Mazda models which were smuggled from Singapore.

The vehicles were sold for between RM30,000 and RM40,000 each, he told reporters when met after the Meeting of JPJ Directors throughout the country at Hotel Seri Malaysia, here today.

Ismail said most of the vehicles were seized in Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak which became the focus of the cloned vehicle smuggling syndicate.

He said the modus operandi of the cloned vehicle syndicates was to sell the vehicles by way of cash after reaching agreement with individual buyers via online advertisements.

"Funding institutions or banks will not approve the purchase of cloned cars. So, when one is offered a luxury car cheaply by paying in cash, be wary because it is highly likely that the vehicle offered is cloned and you end up as a victim.

"The operation to eliminate the cloned-car syndicates will be carried out continuously. The JPJ will not compromise with those involved," said Ismail who urged owners of cloned vehicles to hand them over to the JPJ or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) so that they could be considered for lighter punishments.

He said that possessing cloned vehicles was illegal under the MACC Act and the JPJ Act besides the very high risk involved as they were not covered by insurance.

In another development, Ismail advised the public against believing the rumour which was spread through the social media concerning an increase in the payment of Class B2 and D driving licences recently.

"What was viraled (in the social media) is not true. The rate of payment remains and there is no increase. The fee for Class B2 is still RM20 per year and Class D or Class B2 and D remain at RM30 per year," he added.