SIBU: The Magistrate’s Court here fined a lorry driver RM5,000 for driving a lorry exceeding the maximum permitted load last December.
Magistrate Onn Kerk Chern imposed the fine on the 44-year-old driver, who pleaded guilty to the offence committed along Jalan Sarkei-Sibu on Dec 13 last year.
The driver was operating a rigid dumper/tipper lorry loaded with oil palm fruits around 10.20 am.
According to the charge, the maximum weight limit with load set in the Carrier Licence issued by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board for the lorry is 25,000kg. However, the lorry was found to be weighing at 48,460kg, which is an excess of 93.84kg.
As a result, the driver failed to comply with the conditions set for the Carrier’s Licence under Section 19(1)(b)(vi) of the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board Act 1987.
Consequently, he committed an offence under Section 19(3) of the same Act and is liable to a fine under the same section.
The driver appealed for a lower fine due to his uncertain income as a lorry driver and the need to support the expenses of his wife and children.
Additionally, the driver also told the court that he had to use his own savings as the company’s management did not assist in settling the fine.
Sibu Road Transport Department (JPJ) prosecuting officer Mohamad Erwan Bohari argued that the offender’s action of driving a vehicle with a load exceeding the permitted limit, was one of the factors that could cause accidents due to brake and technical failures.
He added that vehicles carrying loads exceeding the permitted limit could cause road damage and further damage the government’s maintenance expenses.
Accordingly, Erwan requested the court to impose a suitable punishment as the offence was the second time committed by the driver.
The driver has since paid the fine imposed on him.
