RTD Ops Luxury: The price of looking rich

Johor Baru resident Cheah, 36, purchased a pre-owned BMW X6 for RM40,000 in an attempt to demonstrate prosperity and garner others' confidence. However, maintaining the vehicle proved to be a more formidable challenge than initially anticipated. The sales executive admitted that his and his colleagues underestimated the true cost of ownership, specifically insurance and road tax.

The allure of luxury vehicles transcends the driving experience and extends to the perception others hold of the owner. Cheah attributed this to the Transport Ministry's decision in February 2023, which eliminated the obligation for private vehicle owners to display physical road tax discs. Despite this change, motorists must still comply with the law, particularly concerning dangerous driving and road accidents.

Meanwhile, S. Siva, a 46-year-old tow-truck operator with two decades of experience, noted that some luxury-car owners are among the most difficult to tow due to their vehicles' expired road tax and insurance. Siva added that many luxury-car owners allow their road tax to lapse due to the associated costs. In Johor, the Road Transport Department (RTD) conducted enforcement operations called "Ops Luxury" to target luxury vehicles whose owners had violated road transport laws, such as not renewing road tax or acquiring valid insurance.

During a recent operation, four luxury vehicles, valued at nearly RM1 million in total, were seized for having expired road tax and lacking valid insurance. These vehicles, including a BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz CLA 45, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, and Toyota Alphard, were among those found to be in violation of the law. Johor RTD director Zulkarnain Yasin emphasized that enforcement efforts would persist to ensure all vehicles on public roads adhere to regulations and safety standards.