Abandoned cars costing DBKL a hefty sum annually

The problem of abandoned vehicles isn’t just contained to them being a nuisance and causing an eyesore, because removing and disposing them also incurs significant cost, something that Kuala Lumpur city hall (DBKL) has brought to light.

The city council said that a considerable sum is spent each year in tackling the issue, with very little in return to be had monetarily, The Star reports. According to DBKL executive director (socio-economic development) Ismadi Sakirin, the city council spends millions of ringgit each year to remove abandoned vehicles from the streets, but recoups only a fraction of this cost via annual vehicle auctions.

“We spend millions just to clear the vehicles every year and a significant portion of that cost goes towards logistics – using lorries, cranes, tow trucks and sky cranes – and paying staff overtime for working beyond regular hours,” he said.

Ismadi said the process is time consuming, because DBKL only has 14 tow trucks. “In some cases, we have to use a crane to lift vehicles out of tight spaces, where manoeuvring in and out is difficult. If the vehicle is too large to access the area, we have to wait for the next available, appropriately-sized remover,” he said.

Additionally, the lengthy procedure to remove and dispose of abandoned vehicles can take up to six months or more, starting with a 14-day notice. He said this movement is often delayed as some owners try to evade responsibility by relocating their vehicles.

“The notice is placed on the vehicle, giving the owner 14 days to remove it. However, some owners try to avoid the process by simply moving the vehicle elsewhere. This forces us to restart the process by issuing another notice,” he said.

After the 14-day period, the abandoned vehicle is then towed to a depot, where DBKL verifies its status with agencies such as road transport department (JPJ) and the police. “When we take these vehicles, we must file a police report. There is always a possibility that the vehicle has been stolen or used in a crime,” he said.

Owners are then given three to six months to come forward and claim the vehicle, and should this not happen, the vehicle is then sold at auction to scrap metal dealers. “The auction process is carried out through an open tender and components are sold to the highest bidder,” he said.

He added that these auctions, which usually involves the disposal of between 500 and 1,000 vehicles, are typically held once a year. The returns are low, he explained, generating an average of only RM300,000.

Ismadi urged vehicle owners to take responsibility for their old vehicles, emphasising the potential savings. “If people could just do the needful and dispose of their old vehicles themselves, it would save the city a lot of money and resources,” he said.

Earlier this year, the government introduced e-Dereg, an online initiative to ease the process of de-registering a vehicle, making it easier for owners to de-register their old vehicle, should they want to dispose it, doing so via a licenced Authorised Automotive Treatment Facility (AATF).

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