MACC, ministries to meet over cloned tyre issue

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will meet transport and domestic trade officials today over the recent seizure of 18,000 suspected cloned and uncertified tyres.

The meeting, which will include major tyre industry players, is to ascertain how far such tyres have infiltrated the Malaysian market, endangering the lives of motorists.

MACC initiated the meeting after it found stacks of sticker labels in a warehouse in Kampung Baru Hicom, Shah Alam, during recent raids under Op Grip.

The sticker labels are supposed to be affixed to brand new tyres when they leave the manufacturing line at the factory.

"A meeting will be held with major tyre companies, Transport Ministry officials as well as representatives from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.

"The agenda of the meeting is to discuss the way forward after the discovery of suspected cloned tyres as well as tyres which may not be certified by governing bodies," a source told the New Straits Times.

The source said it was also possible that some of the cheaper tyres seized during the raids were not certified at all.

"Some of the tyres seized could have the certified United Nations E-Mark and United States Department of Transportation mark, which were branded into the rubber during the manufacturing process without possessing the actual certification," the source said.

Checks revealed that in Malaysia, Sirim Quality Assurance Services certifies new and retreaded tyres for compliance with Malaysian Standards (MS).

For exported tyres, other certifications like the United Nations (UN) E-Mark or the United States Department of Transportation (DoT) mark are also accepted by authorities.

MACC Special Operations Division senior director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin confirmed the meeting.

"Tyres are a critical safety component of vehicles and stern action must me taken to ensure that only certified and safe tyres are sold in Malaysia," he said.

It was reported that the discovery of stacks of sticker labels for brand new tyres, following a multi-agency crackdown on the tyre industry on Monday, led to suspicion that cloned tyres have been smuggled into the Malay-sian market.

The operation followed concerns from an Italian tyre manufacturer over irregularities involving counterfeit tyres and undeclared imports, triggering raids in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor.

A multi-agency task force comprising the Inland Revenue Board, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Customs Department raided six warehouses and storage containers where 17,672 tyres were seized for verification by international brands.

Following Monday's raids, the MACC also froze RM70 million in bank accounts.

It is believed that the smuggling and forged import and export documents had cost the government an estimated RM350 million in lost revenue over five years.

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