Malaysian Politician Calls for Retread Ban

In a move which is certain to raise the hackles of retreaders worldwide, Malaysian transport Ministry Secretary General Datuk Mohd Safaruddin has said that the use of retreaded tyres on all forms of vehicles in the country will be phased out.

He is reported to have said that the Government needs “to educate the public on the dangers of using retread tyres”, adding: “studies conducted by certain Non-Governmental Organisations found that fatal accidents were caused by retread tyres peeling when the drivers hit the brakes.”

The remarks echo a call recently by Datuk Patrick Sindu, President of the Consumers Association of Sabah, for retreads to be banned after a series of random checks on tyre shops revealed that most of the locally-produced retread tyres were unsafe.

Said Mr. Sindu: “Many are poorly made and the fibre and steel treads can be seen protruding from the tyres, making them most likely to burst.”