Report: JPJ to lead probe into ‘JPJandora Papers’ claims over sales of classic number plates
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — The Road Transport Department (RTD) — better known by its Malay initials, JPJ — will reportedly lead the government’s special task force in investigating an alleged scandal in the “JPJandora Papers” which had claimed that classic vehicle number plates were revived and were being sold at hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
Local daily Utusan Malaysia said RTD director-general Datuk Rospiagos Taha had confirmed to the newspaper that he has been appointed to lead the task force.
“This task force is responsible for submitting various recommendations for improvements for the purpose of strengthening the transparency in the process of registration, giving and owning classic number plates,” he was quoted telling the Malay daily’s weekend edition Mingguan Malaysia.
He reportedly said the RTD’s Integrity Unit has started detailed investigations regarding the claims of the reviving of the classic number plates to allegedly be sold at hundreds of thousands of ringgit, and that this integrity unit will act as the task force’s secretariat to facilitate investigations such as by providing information required by the task force.
Rospiagos was quoted saying that the task force includes experts such as those from the RTD’s integrity unit, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Transport Ministry’s Land and Integrity Division, and that the task force’s full membership and terms of reference would be finalised on Monday.
On September 8, Transport Minister Anthony Loke was reported saying that he had highlighted the matter regarding the JPJandora Papers at a post-Cabinet meeting and instructed for a special task force to be formed in the ministry with the ministry’s Integrity Unit to be part of the task force.
Loke reportedly said the special task force will investigate the allegations and recommend improvements for transparency in the process of registering classic number plates.
Previously, Edisi Siasat reportedly claimed that there was a syndicate or scandal involving the selling of the classic number plates and was also said to have claimed that JPJ officers were allegedly involved.
Edisi Siasat was said to have also provided a 28-page document known as the “JPJandora Papers” with a list of those classic number plates by year since 2007 and by state.
