SINGAPORE: A 48-year-old man was on Thursday (Jul 10) sentenced to six days’ jail and fined S$11,000 (US$8,600) for illegally modifying three motorcycles’ exhausts.
This is the first time a jail term was obtained for illegal modifications.
On Mar 9, 2020, Tang Yong Shun made an application to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to market and sell various models of Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde aftermarket exhausts in Singapore as the official distributor.
Tang and his company were only granted approval to sell and install these aftermarket exhausts a year later, subject to certain terms and conditions.
Until the relevant approvals were granted, he was not allowed to sell and install these exhausts through his company.
One of these conditions was the requirement to apply for a specific vehicle accessory approval code (VAAC code) for each model of aftermarket exhaust to be sold.
The exhaust would only be approved for use after obtaining the code.
The application was for the LTA to determine whether the exhaust system in question was manufactured and tested according to international recognised standards in areas such as vehicular exhaust and noise emission.
The LTA also had to ascertain if the system was suitable to be installed on a particular vehicle make and model such that the vehicle would continue to meet its prevailing exhaust and noise emission characteristics when fitted with the aftermarket exhaust system.
The Singaporean was found guilty of altering all three motorcycles, rendering them unlawful for use.
THE FIRST OCCASION
The first time a Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde aftermarket exhaust was discovered on the road was on Oct 11, 2021.
A motorcycle was found with a modified unapproved aftermarket exhaust by an enforcement officer from the LTA at 9.20am along Bukit Timah Expressway.
Sometime between May 2020 to June 2020, Tang attended to the motorcycle rider at his place of business for the sales and installation of a Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde aftermarket exhaust (model number DE44B) onto his motorcycle.
Tang knew he had yet to obtain the relevant approvals from LTA for the use of the exhaust systems on the roads.
At the point in time, the LTA was still evaluating Tang’s application for his company to be the official distributor of Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde aftermarket exhausts in Singapore.
There is no VAAC code issued for this model.
Tang charged the rider S$4,200 for the exhaust and has collected at least half of the money.
