The transport ministry makes it easier to dispose of abandoned cars in Malaysia.
Take a drive around any housing estate in Malaysia. Chances are you’ll eventually come across a car that’s past its prime and gone unloved. There’s probably a collection of dried leaves and tree sap on it. Almost every neighbourhood has at least one of these abandoned cars and it has become a bit of a problem over the decades. Late last year, transport minister YB Anthony Loke claimed there were more cars registered in Malaysia than actual Malaysians. Today, he presented a two-pronged solution for this problem and we got this report from NST.
The first part of the solution is an e-Dereg system, which allows owners to complete the vehicle deregistration process online instead of taking time off to visit a JPJ office or department counter.
The other part of the solution is to expand the number of Authorised Automotive Treatment Facilities that are licensed by the environment department. There are currently two in operation – one in Kajang and the other in Shah Alam.
The new e-Dereg system is linked with these vehicle disposal units, so once a vehicle is deregistered online, the service provider of the disposal unit will arrange for towing to be done.
Loke said that the complication of the process before was part of the reason why some owners were reluctant to get rid of their cars and this solution would make the deregistration process a lot smoother.
In my own experience, it’s sometimes not that straightforward. There are some owners who simply won’t let go of their older, end-of-life vehicles for sake of nostalgia or some sunk cost fallacy. Near my childhood home in JB, there’s a 1st generation BMW 7 Series that has been on sale for decades. The thing must have been enormously expensive back in its day and the original owner still thinks it has some residual value despite being beyond economical repair. The owner probably is aware that he can make a few phone calls and have the car broken for parts and sold for scrap metal, but either the nostalgia or some fantasy of a flip is preventing him from doing so.
Now, the first generation 7 Series isn’t exactly a great car to restore. But what if it’s a first generation 6 Series? Well, in that case the owner may have just left it abandoned in his housing estate until he can find the funds to restore it or someone to pay a reasonable sum. In this case, it’s a bit tough. Scrapping such a car would be a genuine waste, but it’s also tough to draw the line between which cars should be rescued and which should be disposed of. With nostalgia in play, the decision can be put off until it is too late.
It’s also sometimes the case that the car simply cannot be transferred. Sometimes the original owner leaves the country or passes away (or both) and you have a difficult situation. There are times where the owner is not Malaysian and has simply left the country without a plan to dispose of their vehicle.
I think overall, this step by the government is a positive one but we have to also consider the situations above.
