By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Dec 4: The Sarawak Department of Environment (DOE) has conducted 3,441 motor vehicle inspections and issued 45 compounds up to October 2025, targeting vehicles and motorcycles that cause excessive pollution and fail to comply with the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
DOE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said most offences involved diesel- and petrol-engine vehicles, as well as motorcycles emitting black smoke beyond legal limits or producing excessive noise.
“They must comply with the provisions under the Environmental Quality Act 1974. For example, for diesel vehicles — if they do not maintain their vehicles, then black smoke will be emitted. This means maintenance is extremely important for all vehicle owners to ensure that emissions from their exhausts comply with the standards set in the law.
“If we look at current statistics, one of the main causes of air pollution in urban areas is emissions from vehicles. This is what we need to safeguard. They must ensure that their vehicles are always maintained.
“Even though the government is now working to improve fuel quality and engine specifications, if maintenance is not carried out, their vehicles can still release pollutants into the air,” he said at the launch of ‘Ops Gerak Kebangsaan Kenderaan Bermotor’ held in conjunction with 2025 World Ozone Day Celebration here at the Kuching South City Council community hall compound today.
The current compound rate remains RM2,000, but amendments gazetted on June 6, 2024, and enforced from July 7, 2024, allow higher fines in the future. Under the Clean Air Regulations, offenders taken to court may face fines up to RM1 million, with compounds potentially reaching RM500,000.
Wan Abdul Latiff noted that compounds are usually issued to drivers, but for company-owned vehicles such as lorries and buses, both the driver and the company have previously been penalised.
He added that the Ops Gerak Kebangsaan will be expanded nationwide to ensure vehicles comply with the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
The DOE has also enhanced its inspection capabilities, adding 22 smoke meters for diesel vehicles, 14 gas analysers for petrol vehicles, and 14 sound level meters for more accurate noise measurement.
“DOE will not compromise with any party that fails to comply with regulations in its efforts to protect the environment.
“I call on all sectors of government, industry and society to continue to work together to ensure that the environmental sustainability agenda can be achieved sustainably and comprehensively,” he added.
Also present were DOE Sarawak director John Rampai, Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) deputy controller (operations) Penny Sumok, Department of Environment Malaysia (Air Division) director Nor Aziah Jaafar and Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters (PDRM) Traffic Investigation and Enforcement deputy chief DSP James Jakup Chaling. — DayakDaily
