EXCESSIVE SMOKE EMISSION
SERIAN: As of January, the Department of Environment (DoE) has issued 41 compounds to owners whose vehicles exceeded the black smoke emission standards set under the Environmental Quality Regulations (Emissions Control From Diesel Engine) 1996.
Sarawak DoE director Hamzah Mohamad explained that the department had conducted 15 integrated enforcement operations on black smoke emission from vehicles, codenamed Ops Gerak.
The payment from the 41 compounds is estimated to be RM70,000.
Ops Gerak was participated by personnel from Sarawak DoE, the Royal Malaysian Police, Road Transport Department (JPJ), National Anti-Drugs Agency, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board and Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom).
“Ops Gerak is one of the department’s initiatives aimed at enhancing enforcement and inspection of motor vehicles to ensure black smoke emissions comply with emission standards set under the Environmental Quality Regulations (Emissions Control From Diesel Engine) 1996.
“Earlier today (Tuesday), the operation involving 59 personnel from the enforcement agencies took place at the JPJ weighing station, Jalan Kuching-Serian.
“Ninety-three diesel vehicles were inspected from 9am until 1pm and six compounds were issued for excessive black smoke emission – more than 50 hartridge smoke unit,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday (Oct 27).
In the same operation, JPJ issued 21 traffic compounds for various offenses such as no driving licence, expired road tax, exceeding load limit and others, from 253 inspected vehicles.
Hamzah said 62 individuals (mostly locals) underwent urine tests and 10 tested positive for methamphetamine abuse.
“Such operation (Ops Gerak) will be continued from time to time.
“Hence, owners, especially of diesel vehicles, are urged to ensure that their vehicles are regularly serviced and inspected at Puspakom to ensure that the vehicles are always in safe conditions and not release air pollutants that threaten the environment and the public.”
Also present were Sarawak JPJ enforcement assistant officer Marzuki Ali and Nada Sarawak assistant officer Jesnik Gindol.
