Clarity needed on lorry brake inspection before enforcement: Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH)
More formal engagements are required before Malaysian authorities roll out its new brake inspections, and the Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH) has appealed to both the road transport department (JPJ) and Puspakom to hold technical briefings with industry stakeholders before the inspection elements are introduced, said AMH secretary Mohd Azuan Masud, reported The Star.
According to a separate report by the news daily, enforcement of the new protocol has been deferred to March 1.
“This is essential to ensure the industry clearly understands acceptable operational parameters and to avoid unintended disruptions while maintaining the shared objective of improving road safety. At the same time, clear communication, engagement and transition support are critical to ensure consistent compliance and fair outcomes for operators who have acted in good faith based on previous inspection norms,” Mohd Azuan said.
Since the introduction of Puspakom inspections in Malaysia, the industry’s approach towards trailer drum brake adjustment has evolved around ensuring that the vehicle’s braking system meets inspection requirements, said Mohd Azuan.
“Most trailer drum brake systems do not provide a clear, standardised indicator of the remaining brake lining or pad, or drum condition. As a result, operators have historically tended to adjust settings conservatively to avoid borderline results during inspection,” he said.
“With the new inspection criteria now also flagging over-tight settings as a failure criterion, AMH is concerned that a significant number of otherwise roadworthy vehicles may fail inspections due to legacy adjustment practices that were previously accepted and widely adopted across the industry,” he added.
Puspakom implemented a revised brake inspection protocol for lorries effective January 12, following a directive by JPJ. The inspection protocol will fail heavy vehicles with “excessively tight or excessively loose” brake settings, which can cause loss of control, longer stopping distances and serious accidents.
