Renewal Of Driving Licence Will Be On Merit

[thri-p]

PETALING JAYA: A motorist's behaviour on the road will soon determine how long he can renew his driving licence under a merit-based system being introduced by the Government.

Also, the minimum age for motorcyclists to obtain a licence will be raised from 16 to 17.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the two rulings, decided by the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety on Tuesday, would come into effect later this year.

Under the merit-based licence renewal system, he said that new drivers would only be allowed to renew their licences for one year after their two-year probationary period.

“If no traffic offences are committed within this one-year period, the driver will be allowed to renew his licence for two years.

“And if his record remains clean throughout that two-year period, then he can renew it for three years,” he said after opening the fourth Malaysia International Conference on Languages, Literature and Cultures at Holiday Villa Subang here yesterday.

Drivers who maintain a clean record throughout the three-year period can then renew their licences for five years, the maximum duration allowed under the new system.

“However, anytime a driver commits an offence, his next renewal will

only be for one year. He will have to start all over again,” Chan said.

He said the new system was to set good drivers apart from bad ones.

“We want to see them more often if they commit offences,” he quipped, adding that the type of offences to be included under the new system would be determined when the relevant by-laws were amended.

Existing holders of driving licences will also be affected by the new system, Chan added.

For example, those currently holding a three-year driving licence will qualify for a five-year renewal if they do not commit any offence. Otherwise, they can only renew their licences for one year.

On the higher minimum age for motorcyclists to apply for licences, Chan said the Cabinet committee felt that a person was not mature enough to ride a motorcycle at age 16.

“Based on road safety studies conducted by Universiti Putra Malaysia, many road accidents involve those in the 16 to 17 age group,” he said.

About 350,000 to 400,000 people obtain their motorcycle licences every year.

Chan said 16-year-olds made up 6% to 7% of this number.

He said the minimum age to obtain driving licences for cars would remain at 17 years old.

TheStar

[start rant]
OH PLEASE - will the goverment also have enough manpower to handle the influx of license renewal?

I think its stupid. Goodness - can't our goverment come out with something better? This all sounds like something to sugar coat the fact that the minister (notice I said minister, not goverment) is doing something to the general public driving ways. The main fact it is a pointless plan.

So what if people can renew their licenses every certain amount of years? The news doesn't say about if people having to commit offenses will have their license revoked, it just say that you have to renew it earlier.

And WHO would not get a saman in a year? or 3 years? or 5 years? I think I can safely say everyone will. Sometimes even not your fault or by chance you will get it. Then if you managed to renew for 5 years, kena 1 saman only, it is like losing it all on the poker table. ARGH. Pisses me off how our goverment do things sometimes. Firstly the Touch-n-Go, now this. Just take over touch-n-go and implement it! They should have an agreement with touch-n-go on the fixed rates and asked all other transport company on the table to discuss before making it the national card or something (and it is also embedded in the newer IC cards!). Our gov. should learn from other goverment. I don't see the touch-n-go problem in Singapore? Or any other country? It sounds REALLY REALLY !@$!$@ stupid and childish. God help us.
[/rant]

 

[na_power]

gud one... hehehe less rempits... and stupid monkey on the road.. should raise to 21 is better for bikes.. while car remain 17

 

[thri-p]

Don't think they can do that.. a lot of poor family rely on bikes to go to work. Don't think it reduces it too - Mat rempits even ride bikes without licenses so don't think that will make much of a difference.

I'm more pissed off about the way our Malaysia goverment is doing things.

 

[na_power]

in malaysia got classic car like old mini n old vw that their price is about 3-7k only...

 

[thteh86]

rempits? i think u might get offended but don't u think that's a bit offensive to some of the members here? All the motorists are rempits? Erm, actually i used to be one, :P but i just wanna clarify, there're more 25 years old and above rather than all those P pai chai, some even don't own any license. Some of them even drive big big cars like mercs, beemers.

And the name mat rempits also go to car drivers. Some even think that only malays are rempits. I think most chinese do.

And like wat thri-p said, most families only rely on bikes, don't u think that's a bit unfair, who doesn't wan to drive a car, more comfortable, safer. I guess what this country needs to do is to upgrade the police force and stop all these nonsense by providing better incentives for those honest cops. Just like wat they did, if they catch someone bribing, they get some cash incentive, kudos to Abdullah Badawi, and the gov this time, the accident rates has gone down, the problem now is with the attitude of the malaysian.

and by the way, 3k-7k u might think, NO LOANS...Petrol le? Motorcycle can go up to only 5 ringgit per week if u don't travel too much, just normal go and come back. Even with my 125zR, only go up to 6 ringgit per week with normal travelling distance and high speed. For ex5, 3 ringgit per week is enough.

 

[SuR[3]wYn]

when was this license thing implented? :blink:

sorry i dun read the newpaper much.. hehe :P

so isit for motorcyclists or/and cars too?

lucky i just renewed my driving licence for 5 yrs! hahaha :lol:

anyways, is tru mat rempit mostly go around wif no license...
and those that depend on motorbike is poor ppl that parents cannot work, but children can.. then they use motor to take car of the family loh.. well, my 2 cents :)

 

[Zeroed]

I think it is a pretty good move if implemented properly - that is if bribery can be reduced and processing becomes more efficient, and if it applies only to serious offences. Speeding abit abit, or parking at wrong places should be let go la... :)

Since motorcyclists who commit serious offences wouldnt be able to renew their licenses without facing the penalties beforehand, they'd think twice about doing some serious shit, no?

 

[NOSkill]

I never got any saman/ticket in my whole life. Not even a parking saman.

I think this is a good move. This will give them 1 more year to pratice their skill by bicycles. Then they'll become better mat rampits. :lol: