Regarding the issue of heavy vehicles with 'special stickers' being exempt from crackdowns, Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook stated that the Ministry of Transport adopts a zero-compromise and zero-tolerance attitude towards integrity issues involving enforcement officers under its jurisdiction.
He pointed out that integrity issues are a major challenge currently faced by the Ministry of Transport.
"The Ministry of Transport is always prepared to cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Commission on integrity issues. Recently, we uncovered a corruption syndicate involving a computer vehicle inspection center, which is an example.
"If similar issues are found and we know they need to be addressed, we will monitor the relevant intelligence. The Road Transport Department has its own intelligence unit."
"We will conduct supervision and work closely with the Anti-Corruption Commission."
He made these remarks today at the launch of the LogTech and TalentBridge research laboratories at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya.
Yesterday, Berita Harian revealed the activities of a criminal syndicate specializing in selling special stickers. These stickers are used by most heavy vehicle owners or drivers to "protect" themselves during inspections or roadblocks by enforcement agencies.
According to the newspaper's investigation, some lorry drivers obtained these special stickers through the criminal syndicate to avoid fines or legal action.
These lorry operators would first purchase the special stickers with specific codes and patterns from the syndicate for a minimum price of 1,000 ringgit per lorry and then paste the stickers on the front or rear of the vehicle for identification purposes.
Loke Siew Fook stated that the Road Transport Department has been authorized to intensify efforts to identify integrity violations by enforcement personnel who break rules and regulations.
He said the challenges faced by the Ministry of Transport require the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to strengthen domestic vehicle enforcement efforts.
This includes the adoption of the High-Speed Weigh-in-Motion (HS-WIM) system to automatically monitor the load of heavy vehicles. It is expected that the system will be operational in the third quarter of this year.
"Criminal syndicates always try to circumvent our enforcement measures. Therefore, the use of technology or AI is crucial as it enhances our enforcement capabilities."
He stated that with HS-WIM, heavy vehicles would no longer need to drive to weigh stations. Instead, the sensor-equipped technology can automatically detect if a vehicle is overloaded as it passes through areas where the system is installed.
The Minister also encouraged more transportation companies to collaborate with public universities to research and find better solutions to industry challenges.
"This strategic cooperation allows private companies to expose students to real industry challenges, and students can apply their knowledge and skills to solve these problems."
Loke Siew Fook stated that by utilizing AI and computer science, more data can be integrated and analyzed.
"Currently, we are very focused on safety issues. For example, AI systems can make port operations more efficient, such as calculating the quantity of unloaded materials and cargo."