JPJ seizes RM780,000 luxury vehicles driven by foreigners

Kelantan's Road Transport Department (JPJ) seized two luxury vehicles valued at a total of RM780,000 that were driven by foreign nationals, including a BMW 525 driven by a Rohingya man without a driving licence. The seizure, part of Operation Luxury, targeted vehicles with expired Motor Vehicle Licences (LKM), road tax, and other violations.

The BMW was seized on September 19 in Jalan Pasir Hor after being found driven by a 36-year-old Rohingya man who owns a grocery shop and lacks a driving licence. The car was purchased from a local citizen, as Rohingya nationals are not permitted to own vehicles. On September 20, a Toyota Land Cruiser was seized from Tunjong because its LKM had expired and it lacked insurance. The vehicle, worth around RM780,000, was seized due to the drivers' inability to pay the penalties, which will be taken to court.

JPJ senior director of enforcement, Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan, explained that these seizures aimed to curb the use of luxury vehicles in violation of road regulations. In a separate effort under the Foreign Driver Operation (PEWA), JPJ uncovered instances where Malaysians were renting motorcycles to foreign nationals, including Rohingya, for financial gain. Intelligence gathered revealed that these motorcycles were rented out for between RM50 and RM200 monthly, depending on their condition and purpose.

Hassan highlighted that JPJ issued 481,119 summonses to foreign drivers between January 2024 and September 2026. The majority of these summonses, 121,832, were for driving without a Competent Driving Licence (CDL), followed by 50,469 for expired LKM, and 43,299 for driving without insurance. The majority of Rohingya nationals were found riding motorcycles, particularly three-wheelers, primarily for collecting scrap metal, while Bangladeshis, Indonesians, Indians, and Pakistanis were also frequently detected.