KUALA TERENGGANU: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) is aiming to clear the backlog of driving tests involving 462,124 candidates at 232 driving institutes nationwide before the end of the year.

       JPJ Planning and Operations deputy director-general Aedy Fadly Ramli said to achieve the target, JPJ would increase the number of testers by up to 20%, depending on the needs of each driving institute.

       “JPJ in each state has identified the number of candidates for each driving institute, and has sent data to the headquarters in Putrajaya for us to identify how many additional testers will be sent. Currently, JPJ has 530 testers nationwide.

       “Besides that, we will also increase the daily quota of candidates to be tested at each driving institute.

       “The number varies according to the capacity of the premises.

       “Therefore, the number of additional testers to be sent is according to the needs of each institute,” he told reporters after visiting the Bitara Driving Institute near Padang Midin here yesterday.

       Also present was Terengganu JPJ director Zulkarnain Yasin.

       Apart from that, driving institutes are also advised to give priority to overdue candidates as opposed to fresh candidates completing their tests which have been long delayed due to the enforcement of the movement control order since last year.

       Aedy Fadly said in the meantime, JPJ would also monitor compliance to the standard operating procedure set by the National Security Council for Covid-19 prevention at all driving institutes on a regular basis. — Bernama