THE Road Transport Department (RTD) has detained 19 people caught offering unlicensed and illegal car rental services at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Director-general Zailani Hashim said the touts were detained in Ops Ulat, which ran from December 4 and finished yesterday, adding that 18 of the offenders were detained in KLIA2.

He said 15 of suspects were using private vehicles, while the other four were using public vehicles including e-hailing cars or taxis.

“Three individuals were found to be repeat offenders and the department has seized all 19 vehicles to facilitate investigations,” he told a press conference at KLIA today.

He said preliminary investigations found that the touts were co-operating with each other.

Zailani said the 19 individuals aged between 20 and 60 are being investigated under section 205(1) of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, which provides a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to five years or both if convicted.

Zailani, who admitted he too had been approached by touts offering car rental services at the airport, said this illegal activity must be stopped to ensure customers’ safety and protect their rights.

He said from 2015 until yesterday, a total of 630 cases of touting were recorded in Selangor and 29 people have been sentenced to imprisonment for the offence.

Meanwhile, he said the RTD would continue to pursue smartly dressed touts who target tourists from the Middle East and offer them vehicle rental and tour packages at exorbitant prices. – Bernama, December 13, 2022.