MOT, MIROS Study New Ways To Detect Use Of Illegally Retreaded Tyres

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is studying the implementation of new methods to detect the use of illegal retreaded tyres in the market, including the identification of physical evidence through security stamps (stamping) or the quick response (QR) code and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said the measure, which was implemented in collaboration with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), aimed to ensure that only retreaded tyres that comply with mandatory rigorous safety standards are safe and allowed to be used by heavy vehicles on public roads.

He said based on a MIROS study, three main factors of road accidents in Malaysia had been identified, namely driver negligence and attitude of road users by 80.6 per cent (pct), road conditions (13.2 pct) and vehicle condition (6.2 pct).

“There is no denying that there is a trend of increasing road accidents involving heavy vehicles due to tyre or drivetrain failure. This situation also contributes to the fallout of tyre fragments on the road which pose a risk to other users.

“However, the study found that only a small part of the incidents were caused by the failure of retread tyres, while the majority stem from new pneumatic tyres and mechanical failures of the heavy vehicle itself,” he said at the Special Chamber session at Dewan Rakyat today.

Hasbi was responding to a question from Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PH-Tebrau) who wanted to know the concrete steps taken by the government to reduce accidents if caused by retreaded tyres following recent fatal lorry accidents.

He said the discussion on the safety level of retreaded tyres needed to be seen in a more comprehensive context, encompassing aspects of production, importation, sale, use, maintenance and enforcement, which also involve the jurisdiction of various agencies and ministries.

To strengthen regulation on the use of new and legally retreaded tyres, Hasbi said MOT has implemented five main approaches including gazetting United Nations (UN) regulations and Malaysian Standards (MS) in motor vehicle regulations, enforcing inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) and controlling tyre imports in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN).

MOT also encourages transport companies to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tyre inspections before trips to ensure the physical shape and safety of tyres are in optimum condition, in addition to continuing public advocacy programmes and public service messages on tyre care.

“MOT is committed to ensuring that every tyre, whether new or retreaded, used in Malaysia complies with the prescribed safety and quality standards.

“A holistic (integrated) approach involving legislation, enforcement, import control, product labelling, and consumer education will continue to be strengthened to ensure the safety of road users and reduce the risk of accidents caused by tyre failure in the country,” added Hasbi.

-- BERNAMA