GEORGE TOWN: While the use of runners to help with the renewal of road tax, insurance and even vehicle inspections has been quite rampant here, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) advised motorists to use the MyJPJ app instead to save money.
Penang JPJ director Adenan Md Isa reminded the public to perform transactions personally as many services are now so convenient with a click of the mouse.
"You just need to download the application on your phone, and you have easy access to your road tax.
"If you need a physical copy, come over to the JPJ office and we will have one printed for you at no charge.
"Then, you do not need the help of a third party, who may charge you more by saying that it is complicated," he said.
Adenan said while he understood that the older generation might find going digital intimidating, he hoped their children would step up to help them.
"We worry that some runners might take advantage of their clients and ask for more money when it is an easy task.
"Since the owner of the vehicle might be unaware, it is easy to convince them that there is a lot of work involved," he said.
A bank employee BK Khoo claimed that going to the JPJ or the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) could be cumbersome, but a runner familiar with the regulations would help save a lot of time.
"I do not have the time because of my working hours. So, I paid a runner early this year to send my car for a test at Puspakom when I sold it. The extra money I had to fork out, I feel, was worth it as I don't have to wake up early in the morning and then to wait for my turn," he said .
Edward De Souza, 65, who has been in the "runner" business for 30 years, said it started when he became a general insurance agent.
Part of his work, he said, involved helping clients with paperwork and procedures that government agencies needed.
"I do it for all my clients, and my niche market is foreigners living in Malaysia who need road tax and insurance for their vehicles.
"It is a completely different procedure for them and a harder process, especially if they do not understand our language.
"I help with more than just road tax and insurance. I even deal with issues they may face when transferring ownership of vehicles," said De Souza, who added that he earns anything from RM10 and up to RM2,000 from such jobs.
"It is a lengthy procedure for work like number plate retention, in which I need to transfer one vehicle's plate number to another.
"It requires the buying of a new motorcycle (a vehicle with the lowest price) so that the old number plate can be transferred to the new vehicle.
"You have to run around and do whatever is required, including having the vehicle thoroughly inspected.
"While I am used to doing it, the payment is for my time," he said.
De Souza said another niche market he specialised in was the transfer of vehicle ownership from deceased owners.
"There is a long procedure, and the paperwork needs to be endorsed by the court before ownership can be transferred.
"Unless you do it regularly, you will not know the process. This is when the runners fees go up," he said.
De Souza said despite things going digital, Malaysians still prefer to do things through runners.
"I even solve clients issues when they are unsure of how to travel overseas with their vehicles.
Another runner who wished to be known as Goh, 57, said she is still in the business after having done it for 30 years.
"I help customers renew road tax and insurance and take their vehicles to Puspakom for inspections as well.
"I can make as little as RM5 to as much as RM50 for a run, depending on the distance and job.
"The fee for taking a commercial vehicle to Puspakom is around RM50 if I do it myself.
"If I outsource it, then I make around RM10 in commission.
"While I can make around RM20 for insurance and road tax renewals, there are times where I make as little as RM5.
"This is because people can renew them at the post office for just RM2.50, so I cannot charge too much," she said, adding that she started out doing this as an odd job while raising her children.
"It does not pay well enough to be my sole source of income. Back then, I cleaned houses as well, but now that I am older, I just stick to this one.
"In the past, I could make up to RM2,000 a month, but now that payments can be made online, people can do it on their own, and this has reduced my income to around RM1,000 a month.
"Some days I make around RM50, on other days I make RM20, and sometimes I have no income," she said.
However, she said things are now moving faster due to the prevalence of smartphones, as she does not need to personally meet the customers to fill out the paperwork.
"Years ago, it was difficult as I had to go see them personally. Now they text it to me, and I do the needful," she said.
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