PUTRAJAYA, April 11 — Foreigners are not allowed to drive trailers despite pressure from the industry for them to be allowed to drive to overcome the shortage of drivers, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Citing data on the country’s haulage for 2022, Loke said there are 766 haulage companies with 16,465 prime movers and 61,616 trailers, while the number of drivers was 12,326.
“The government’s stand so far is not to allow foreigners to drive trailers, despite the industry players insisting that more trailer drivers are needed to make the country competitive,” he told a media conference after chairing the National Logistics Task Force (NLTF) Meeting Bill 1/ 2023 here today.
To overcome the problem, Loke said the port authorities had been asked to work with the port operator as there are trailer drivers in the port area, but without the Class ‘E’ license which enables the holder to drive any type of commercial Heavy Motor Car vehicle unladen weight exceeding 7,500 kilogrammes.
“We want to train drivers who work in the port area so that they can apply for Class ‘E’ license and a Good Driver Licence (GDL). That will give them the option to be a haulier driver when they leave the port,” he said.
Regarding the management of container depots, he said there were various disputes between the logistics companies (shippers) and the shipping company (shipping line) on the charges at the depot.
“They (stakeholders) are asking the government to regulate container depots so that there is a legal framework that includes management of the charges and standard services.
“If unable to achieve the standards, the government through the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) can impose action on the container depot operator,” he said.
Commenting on the seizure of 336 kilogrammes of heroin in a container from Malaysia to Brisbane, Australia on March 13, Loke said he did not have detailed information about it, but insisted that the ministry was taking a serious view of the matter and would investigate it.
Yesterday (April 10), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) secretary Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin was reported to have said that Australian authorities seized drugs, estimated to be worth AUD268.8 million (RM789.56 million) in a shipment from Malaysia at the Port of Brisbane last March 13.
The shipment that arrived in a container from Malaysia was declared as solar panel accessories.
