Driving institutes to extend vehicle age limit to 10 years - Loke

PUTRAJAYA - The age limit for vehicles used at driving institutes will be extended to 10 years, compared to the previous seven years.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said that this new policy aims to assist with the operational costs of driving institutes that have been affected by Covid-19.

"I believe it is reasonable considering the two-year disruption to the operation of driving institutes due to Covid-19.

"If we are rigid and don't change any rules, then vehicles more than seven years old can't be used anymore.

"This adds to the burden of the driving institutes, and it's not fair to them," he said in his opening speech at the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Institute Entrepreneurs Association Driving (PIM) on Monday.

Besides that, Loke also announced the exemption of periodic inspections for new vehicles under the driving institute for two years.

"For the subsequent years until year 10, mandatory periodic inspections must be carried out once a year instead of twice a year," he explained.

Anthony said this initiative is to increase the productivity of the driving institute's assets without compromising on safety issues.

"This is an approach whereby we (the ministry) loosen the rules and policies and place the responsibility on the industry players," he said.

Stressing that if it is found that any vehicles of a driving institute are not properly maintained and have caused accidents, he said the ministry will not hesitate to take strict action against driving institute operators.

"As a matter of fact, many driving institutes have already been subjected to suspensions from operation. Not due to accidents, but failure to abide by the rules and regulations set," he said.

Meanwhile, he said, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) is currently drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP) before the driving institute is allowed to conduct the computerised KPP01 test.

"There are only a few constraints because the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has asked us to be careful in changing this policy, but JPJ is looking at how this can be implemented effectively," he said.

Anthony said a special task force was established to overcome the issue of the 'backlog' of a long list of IM driving test candidates across the country.

"Hundreds of thousands of driving test candidates at driving institutes have been on the list following the closure of operations due to the previous Covid-19 pandemic.

"Many people have complained that they had to wait a long time before they could sit for their tests, so I also asked the ministry's Land Division to see what could be done to speed up the process.

"Give space to the ministry and JPJ to propose some measures, and I will announce these measures in the near future," he said.

An estimated 600,000 candidates have been recorded taking driving courses and tests at driving institutes every year.