Loke told the Dewan Rakyat the strike was initiated purely because JPJ was carrying out its enforcement duties.
“As a minister, I cannot just ask the JPJ not to enforce the law,” he said in his winding-up speech on the 2024 budget for his ministry today.
“We understand the woes of lorry drivers who are saying that the enforcement is too strict, but the public will be furious if there is no enforcement, as there have been several accidents involving overloaded lorries lately.”
Loke said JPJ is engaging with various lorry drivers’ associations to find a way for them to continue operating while ensuring compliance with the law.
“We are seeking a solution that will allow lorry drivers to operate normally while guaranteeing the safety of the public,” he said.
He expressed hope that the issue will be seen “from both sides” so that enforcement agencies can continue doing their job without external pressure.
He maintained that JPJ officers were just carrying out their duties to prevent road accidents.
The lorry drivers’ strike, which began on Oct 17, is said to be in protest against enhanced checks conducted by JPJ on lorries and commercial vehicles since late last month, with many being impounded for overloading.
JPJ announced that it would begin large-scale checks on commercial vehicles last month, following an incident involving a lorry which ploughed into 14 cars in Putrajaya, and left two dead.
More than 2,000 lorry drivers have been involved in protests in the east coast states. So far, only a group of lorry drivers in Kelantan reportedly agreed to resume operations on Oct 21 following discussions with JPJ.
The Malaysia Trucking Federation has urged all drivers to continue transporting their consignments, but some drivers reportedly fear retaliation for not standing in solidarity with others.
The Master Builders Association of Malaysia and the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association have urged Putrajaya to intervene as the strikes have stalled construction projects, causing developers to suffer losses.