Ops HRA 2026: Over 2,000 offences recorded with drones, says JPJ

KOTA BHARU (March 20): A total of 2,384 offences were recorded using drones during the three-day implementation of Ops Hari Raya Aidilfitri (HRA) 2026 which began on March 16.

Road Transport Department (JPJ) Enforcement senior director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said the four main offences identified were 715 cases of overtaking on double lanes, 627 cases of not obeying traffic lights, 539 cases of overtaking on the left, and 503 cases of using emergency lanes.

“Every offence recorded will be used as evidence and JPJ will issue an interview notice to the vehicle owner involved,” he told reporters after Ops HRA 2026 at the JPJ Wilayah Timur Academy here last night.

He said 200 traffic offences could be detected using drone technology in just 45 minutes, thus proving the effectiveness of using drones in enforcement operations.

He said that so far, JPJ has six drone units for use at its headquarters and plans are being made to expand their use in all future operations.

“The use of these drones is not intended to find road user offences, but rather as a proactive measure to record and identify offences that are the cause of accidents.

“This approach focuses on safety aspects by ensuring that road users are more disciplined and obey the law,” he said.

He said that a review of the JPJ database found that 288 hotspots were identified nationwide based on high accident rates and traffic offences.

“The three states that recorded the highest number were Kelantan (53 locations), Sarawak (50) and Perak (34).

“In Kelantan, the most significant offences detected involved cutting queue and violating traffic lights. All of these offences involved provisions under the Road Transport Act 1987,” he said.

He said users who received the notice could make a compound payment within 15 days to enjoy a 50 per cent discount, bringing the total payment to RM150 after deductions.

“JPJ stressed that the use of high-capacity drones, including a zoom function of up to 200 times, allows vehicle registration numbers to be clearly identified even from a long distance,” he said. – Bernama