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A 63-year-old man with a Datuk title recently had his Porsche Cayenne confiscated by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in Melaka because he failed to renew his road tax.

The man claimed to be on his way to dinner when he was stopped by the authorities during the Ops Luxury enforcement operation along Jalan Gapam around 6.36pm on 26 September.

JPJ Melaka director Siti Zarina Mohd Yusop said the man’s road tax had expired since 28 June and he didn’t have insurance coverage.

The luxury vehicle was impounded in compliance with Section 64(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for further investigation.

Siti Zarina stressed that owning a luxury vehicle does not exempt owners from complying with road rules, including keeping their road tax renewed and maintaining valid insurance coverage.

JPJ Melaka urged all vehicle owners to verify that their road tax and insurance are still valid before driving. This can also be done conveniently through the MyJPJ app.

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Why do we need road tax?

A road tax, also known as a Motor Vehicle License (LKM), is a mandatory license proving that your vehicle is registered, inspected, and authorised for use on public roads. In other words, it confirms your vehicle is safe and roadworthy. You also need a valid LKM to be eligible for vehicle insurance.

The funds typically go into a government consolidated fund to help fund public services and transit projects. The funds do not go into a dedicated road-maintenance budget.

In the event that you get into a road accident while driving without a valid road tax, you may face legal penalties and fines, insurance complications, and potentially face a civil lawsuit by the other party.

READ MORE: Ops Luxury: JPJ Finds Celebrity-Owned Luxury Cars With Unpaid Road Tax

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