3 New Firms And Puspakom To Provide Vehicle Inspections

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Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the selection of the new companies followed a rigorous evaluation process.
PUTRAJAYA: The government has appointed three companies to carry out motor vehicle inspection services, ending Puspakom’s long-standing monopoly.
The new companies are Wawasan Bintang, Pakatan Petroleum and Beriman Gold, while Puspakom will continue operating as usual, with all its branches remaining open.
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said: “Puspakom is still operating and has not been shut down. The difference is we want to introduce new operators so that there is competition.”
He said the selection of the new companies followed a rigorous evaluation process and was in line with a Cabinet decision in March 2023 to open mandatory vehicle inspections to qualified firms.
“The expansion of motor vehicle inspection services aims to ensure better service and road safety for all Malaysians,” he told a press conference today.
He said the appointed firms were chosen based on financial strength, regulatory compliance, and suitability of proposed inspection centre locations.
“Wawasan Bintang will operate in Port Klang, Gua Musang, and Mersing, while Pakatan Petroleum will serve Rawang and Temerloh.
“Beriman Gold has been assigned two locations in Sarawak — Kuching and Serian — to extend services to East Malaysia,” he said.
Loke said the selected companies must complete infrastructure setup, including premises and equipment, within 24 months.
“Only after meeting all regulatory and operational standards will they receive operational licenses to begin inspections,” he said, adding that licenses may be issued earlier if infrastructure is completed before the deadline.
Loke also announced that the second phase of applications for motor vehicle inspection operators will be open from March to June this year. “Unsuccessful firms from the first phase are encouraged to reapply if they meet the required standards,” he said.
Welcoming today’s appointments, Puspakom said it looks forward to exchanging ideas with the new operators to enhance the quality of vehicle inspections.
The company also acknowledged that some of its employees were under investigation and pledged to fully cooperate with the authorities. “We will not compromise on corruption-related issues,” its CEO Mahmood Razak Bahman said in a statement today.
Puspakom is Malaysia’s first and so far only comprehensive national vehicle inspection company, appointed in 1994 by the government to undertake all mandatory inspections for both commercial and private vehicles. - FMT

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