text: [{"text_idx": "#000003", "text": "In landmark ruling, court finds JPJ negligent in cloned car case"}, {"text_idx": "#000006", "text": "The case was brought by a doctor who unwittingly bought a cloned 2013 Toyota Vellfire three years ago."}, {"text_idx": "#000007", "text": "In May last year, she sued Penang JPJ director, the JPJ director-general and the federal government, after JPJ seized her car 10 months after she bought it, saying the chassis and engine numbers had been subject to tampering."}, {"text_idx": "#000008", "text": "The court awarded Dr Hema Thiyagu RM139,000 in damages, the purchase price of the car, after finding JPJ had breached its statutory duties."}, {"text_idx": "#000009", "text": "In her suit, Hema, 33, claimed that JPJ failed to explain how it had not detected the tampering when she registered the vehicle."}, {"text_idx": "#000010", "text": "Hema\u2019s lawyer K Simon Murali submitted that JPJ was negligent in allowing the Johor Vellfire\u2019s chassis and engine numbers to be registered to a different car."}, {"text_idx": "#000011", "text": "He said that based on JPJ\u2019s chronology presented to the court, the stolen Vellfire was registered in Ipoh with the chassis and engine numbers from the Johor-registered Vellfire."}, {"text_idx": "#000012", "text": "Murali further submitted that based on the testimonies by witnesses from JPJ, there was no evidence that the Johor Vellfire\u2019s owner was present during the ownership transfer in Ipoh, despite a legal requirement."}, {"text_idx": "#000013", "text": "He said from then on, the stolen Vellfire was illegally registered and changed hands several times before it was unknowingly purchased by his client."}, {"text_idx": "#000014", "text": "In its defence, JPJ said that Hema\u2019s car was cloned, and had been reported stolen in Labu, Negeri Sembilan in 2019, while the chassis and engine numbers were from another Vellfire in Johor."}, {"text_idx": "#000015", "text": "The latter vehicle had been owned by an insurer following an accident in 2018 and was auctioned off the following year."}, {"text_idx": "#000016", "text": "A subsequent buyer, when trying to change the ownership to his name, found the vehicle was \u201calready registered\u201d, JPJ said in its defence statement."}, {"text_idx": "#000017", "text": "JPJ said it was not obliged to inspect the vehicles before registering them, because such duties lay with Puspakom. It said its registration process was based on required documents only and, therefore, it was not legally obliged to tell Hema why her car was seized."}, {"text_idx": "#000018", "text": "In his judgment, High Court judge, Justice Anand Ponnudurai said that the JPJ director-general has a responsibility to maintain an accurate vehicle register, especially of cars flagged as cloned."}, {"text_idx": "#000019", "text": "He said JPJ should have promptly seized the vehicle upon discovering it was cloned."}, {"text_idx": "#000020", "text": "According to Anand, in Hema\u2019s case, she was unaware that she had bought a cloned vehicle and because there were multiple previous owners, it had not raised any suspicion."}, {"text_idx": "#000021", "text": "\u201cJPJ had evidence as early as Dec 6, 2019, eight months before Hema bought the vehicle, suggesting that the Vellfire may be cloned, but did nothing,\u201d he said."}, {"text_idx": "#000022", "text": "Anand added that, as a result, the Penang JPJ director and the JPJ director-general have breached their statutory duties."}, {"text_idx": "#000023", "text": "He awarded Hema RM139,000 in damages and RM10,000 in costs, which are to be paid by the federal government, which was named as the third defendant."}, {"text_idx": "#000028", "text": "JPJ says claims made in a viral post stating a physical road tax is still mandatory untrue, police report lodged"}, {"text_idx": "#000029", "text": "Motorcycle rider who rammed into JPJ roadblock in PD, injuring officer, pleads guilty in court \u2013 RM5k fine"}, {"text_idx": "#000033", "text": "Gov\u2019t not ruling out the reintroduction of GST \u2013 Rafizi"}, {"text_idx": "#000034", "text": "myTukar Body and Paint centre will respray your car with techniques refined by a Japanese spray master"}, {"text_idx": "#000035", "text": "Dodo Mat unveils upgrades to its award-winning dual-layer car mats \u2013 Antislip Guard and an all-new heel pad"}, {"text_idx": "#000036", "text": "Earn up to RM1,600 a month by buying a myTukar Certified car and renting it out on TREVO marketplace"}, {"text_idx": "#000037", "text": "JPJ eBid: VLE and JWM number plates up for bidding"}]