More than 27,000 abandoned vehicles in the Klang Valley

Abandoned vehicles are more than just an eyesore. If left too long, they not only take up parking spaces and obstruct road users but could also pose safety risks and affect the cleanliness and safety of their surroundings, polluting soil and water through oil leaks and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests.

Local authorities have face long-running difficulties removing abandoned vehicles due to problems tracing owners, inaccurate registration details and lengthy verification and disposal processes, and it looks like the online motor vehicle de-registration system (e-Dereg) hasn’t been as effective as expected.

Despite efforts to address the issue, abandoned vehicles continue to proliferate in the Klang Valley, as shown by the numbers reported from local authorities, with three of these having recorded a total of 27,117 abandoned vehicles in areas under their jurisdiction, covering different periods from 2021 to August this year.

Kajang municipal council (MPKj) recorded the highest number at 12,290 vehicles, followed by Kuala Lumpur city hall (DBKL) with 11,001 complaints and Ampang Jaya municipal council (MPAJ) with 3,826 vehicles, as the New Straits Times reports.

According to MPKj, the figures have showed an upward trend from 2021. Over the past three years, the council received 3,351 complaints related to abandoned vehicles, with 1,016 reported in 2024, 1,216 last year and 1,119 this year.

A council spokesman said the Cheras subdistrict recorded the highest number of complaints of abandoned vehicles, particularly in housing areas and around car workshops, with old cars being the most commonly abandoned vehicles. Among the factors for a vehicle being abandoned are high vehicle repair costs, owning more than one vehicle and vehicles sold without a change of ownership.

According to the council, 2,605 vehicles have been towed, while another 9,685 cases remain unresolved. The spokesman said the council’s main challenges included locating vehicle owners who had changed addresses, missing vehicle registration numbers and original owners who had sold vehicles without transferring ownership to the new owners.

To address the problem, the council said it will appoint contractors to facilitate towing. The spokesman said that MPKj does not bear any towing costs for abandoned vehicles, as it appoints the Car Medic panel to tow vehicles when the notice period served for their removal has expired, in the presence of enforcement officers. The council added that it would also raise awareness among vehicle owners and publicise information on assistance with vehicle disposal.

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