KUCHING: Motorists were furious they have to wait for up to more than four hours to renew their road tax driving licences and permits at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Kuching service centre at Mile 11, Kuching-Serian Road yesterday.
One of the irate motorists called The Borneo Post to say that several hundred people were queuing up to renew their driving documents but only one and another which opened intermittently attended to them.
“This is ridiculous and is absolutely far from being efficient. We don’t know what is exactly happening but whatever it is this kind of situation is really troublesome. With such a long queue while there are only one or two counters open to serve the public I am sure many of those who could not wait longer had left without concluding their businesses,” he said. The 50-year old motorist who requested not to be named asked who should be held responsible if they were stopped by the law enforcers for driving with expired road tax or driving license which they could not renew due to the ‘inefficiency’ of the JPJ itself.
“Not everyone can afford to wait for that long. Renewing our road tax, renewing driving licence or permits is not our only errand of the day. We also have other equally important business to do,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, State JPJ public relations officer Rogie Saui when contacted said the situation at JPJ Kuching service counter yesterday was due to the shortage of manpower.
“I was told that many of them have taken their leave to send their children to school. That is why only a few counters are open,” he said.
He explained that granting of leave approval to majority of the staff to go on leave at the same time was beyond their control.
He said the department was fully aware of what transpired yesterday and apologised for the inconveniences caused.