Minister of Transport Anthony Loke revealed in Parliament yesterday that the government is considering offering driving licenses that can be renewed for up to 10 years. He explained that ministry officers have already been ordered to study the feasibility of the proposal.
If implemented, the policy change would double the maximum number of years that people are allowed to renew their licences for. Currently, drivers can choose to renew their licence yearly or up to five years of validity, with the price going for between RM30 and RM150 at a RM30 increment for every year added on.
Speaking on the cost of licence renewals, Loke said that the government could potentially offer discounts for those who renew for 10 years, in order to encourage Malaysians to renew their licence for longer periods. The ministry has not made a decision on this matter yet but he assured that it is being considered.
The minister also spoke on road taxes, stating that the Transport Ministry is conducting a study on the current road tax structure to reduce the cost, with the current structure bringing in nearly RM3 billion of revenue for the government. It is also looking into the road tax structure for electric cars to encourage EV ownership.
Loke said that road taxes for some EVs were more expensive than for regular cars, so he intends for the government to provide incentives in terms of competitive road taxes and charging stations. On that note, there is an ongoing road tax exemption for EVs that will expire after 31 December 2025.
Earlier this month, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) announced that it would be transitioning the use of road tax stickers and driving licences from physical copies to digital. The policy is already in place for private Malaysian drivers with the department working towards enabling it for commercial vehicles and foreign drivers in the future.
(Source: The Star)
