CHECK-MATE OPERATION WILL NOT BE CALLED OFF

CHANGLUN (Malaysia), June 25 (Bernama) -- The Check-Mate Operation launched
in April to combat the illegal influx of Thailand vehicles into the country will
not be halted, Road Transport Department (RTD) enforcement director Abdul Rahman
Daud said.

He said between January and June this year, the RTD had issued summonses on
95 Thailand vehicles, comprising mostly vans ferrying tourists without permit.

Although the number was small, it was an increase from the 89 summonses
issued in 2009, he said.

"Even though the matter (issuing summonses to Thailand vehicles) has been
taken to the Cabinet, the RTD will continue conducting the operation for a
period of time which will be fixed later," he said in a dialogue with the north
zone taxi and rental car drivers, here Friday.

Last May, Thailand tourist van operators staged a road block about two
kilometres from the Thailand Immigration Complex bordering Bukit Kayu Hitam to
stop Malaysian vehicles ferrying tourists from continuing their journey.

The action was taken in response to the summonses issued by the RTD on
Thailand vehicles for various offences, including entering Malaysia illegally,
not having insurance coverage, taking passengers and violating the traffic law.

Abdul Rahman said the Check-Mate operation would not focus merely in the
states sharing the boundary with Thailand like Kedah, Perlis, Perak and
Kelantan, but also in other places including Kuala Lumpur if the Thai vehicles
were spotted.

"I'm shocked to hear today that the Thai vehicles can be spotted quite
easily while doing their business even in Kuala Lumpur," he added.

Meanwhile, the director of the Kedah branch of Tourism Malaysia, Anuar Abdul
Razak said the Tourism Ministry had never issued permits, permanent or
temporarily, to Thai vehicles to take tourists into the country.

"This means that if they are spotted doing that, it must be illegal. We
doubt they even have insurance coverage for the vehicles," he said.
-- BERNAMA


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