Your Car Tint And Registration Plate Could Get You In Trouble With The Cops
Published by Mei Mei Chu
The police will launch a nationwide Ops Cermin Gelap to nab vehicle owners who do not follow the standard specifications.
If Your Vehicle Have Tinted Windows, Fancy Registration Plates And Beacon Lights, You Have Until 16 June 2014 To Change Them
- Police have warned vehicle owners using tinted windows, registration plates which do not meet specifications and beacon lights to change or take them off before a major operation starts on June 16.
- Starting June 16, he said, the police and Road Transport Department (RTD) will hold a nationwide operation called Ops Cermin Gelap to nab errant vehicle owners who will be slapped with a fine of RM300.
A Nationwide Ops Cermin Gelap Will Start On 16 June 2014 To Take Action Against Vehicle Owners Who Have These Issues:
- Bukit Aman Traffic Police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abd Latiff said the operation was intended to reduce risks of crimes.
- Mohd Fuad said they would give a one-month grace period for vehicle owners to comply with the regulations before taking action against them.
1. Heavily Tinted Windows
- “Robbery gangs are also using heavily tinted vehicles to avoid suspicion."
- "This is because it is difficult for victims to identify suspects in the event of crimes due to the use of tinted glasses and registration numbers which do not meet specifications," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur, today.
- "The heavy tinting of (windows) makes it difficult for us to identify who is inside the car, especially when we are in search of crime suspects," he added.
- For window tints, Rule 5(1) and Rule 5(3) of Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) Rules 1991 stipulates that the minimum light transmission level of the front windshield is 70%, while windows and the rear windshield must allow at least 50% of light to pass through.
2. Registration Plates That Do Not Meet The Specifications
- He said motorists should know that the usage of small sized letters on their vehicles as well as heavily tinted glasses might lead to criminal activities. “When incidents like snatch theft, robberies, and murder happens, it is hard for the victim or witnesses to recognise the registration numbers used by the suspects as the letters are too small.
- “Under Rule 6(1) of the Motor Vehicle (Registration and Licensing) Rules 1959, the licence plate must be placed in an upright position and must be in accordance to specifications,” he said.
3. Beacon Lights Or Strobe Lights With No Approval From The Road Transport Department
- Fuad added vehicle owners should not install ‘strobe light’ or ‘beacon light’ on their cars unless they have got a permission from the Road Transport Department.
- The use of beacon lights must be approved by the Road Transport Department director-general under Rule 138 (1) of the Road Traffic Rules and illegal users were given until June 1 to take them off off before action was taken.
- “Anyone using them illegally is liable to a compound of RM300,” he said, adding that vehicle owners had until June 1 to remove them.
On Another Note, It Is Illegal For The Public To Act As A Traffic Marshall Without Police Presence
- Federal traffic police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abd Latiff today warned that it is illegal for the public to act as "marshalls" to stop vehicles to facilitate movement of private convoys. "There is no law stipulated anywhere that members of the public can wear a vest and stop vehicles, although they may guide a convoy of vehicles," he said.
- These marshalls are usually seen stopping vehicles when there is a convoy following a hearse, wedding car or when there is a motorcycle convoy. Mohd Fuad said if the presence of a marshall is required, it has to be sought from the police, such as at events like Le Tour De Langkawi and the Jelajah Malaysia cycling event.
- “A traffic marshall can only direct, divert or stop traffic if he has permission from the police, and police personnel must be present when he is performing the act. “Unfortunately, some have resorted to wearing jackets with the words ‘Marshall’ to perform the duties of the police,” he said. SAC Mohd Fuad advised the public to ignore these traffic marshalls if they were not accompanied by police personnel.
- He added that action will be taken under Section 21 (3) Police Act or Section 79(2) Transport Road Act against any individual or groups found acting as marshalls without the presence of traffic police personnel.
Ops Cermin Gelap Will See A RM300 Compound Imposed Upon Vehicle Owners Who Do Not Follow Specifications
- “From June 16 onwards, police will conduct massive operations nationwide to track down on those who did not abide by the law. “Those who fail to follow the standard guidelines will be fined up to a maximum of RM300,” Fuad told reporters at the Federal police headquarters, today.
