Renewal of driving licence will be on merit
Interesting article this one is, Renewal of driving licence will be on merit.
The million dollar question is, what form of monitoring will they use? Have they got enough man-power to enforce it?
What happended to KEJARA demerit system?
This silly government of the day has missed the real solution to the problems on the road. The best solution to the whole works is the introduction of a properly coordinated and efficient public transport system. That's the only viable solution to the problem bessting the nation for the past zillion years!
They haven't even finished sorting the merit-based system!
The original article referred:-
--------------------------------
The Star Online > Nation
Sunday April 24, 2005
Renewal of driving licence will be on merit
BY CECIL FUNG
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.
Related Story:
The Star Online > Nation
Sunday April 24, 2005
Getting drivers to behave
BY JONATHAN CHEW
PETALING JAYA: The new merit-based system for licence renewal is designed to reshape the attitude of drivers.
Road Safety Department director-general Suret Singh said under the existing system, which allowed the renewal of licences for up to 10 years, drivers could develop bad driving habits during their time on the road.
“They may be good drivers at the start, but their driving behaviour can change.
“We want to encourage new drivers not to have traffic offences and to be mindful of their driving habits,” he said when contacted yesterday.
The new system, he added, would also allow closer monitoring of drivers behaviour, as traffic offenders would have to come back to renew their licenses in a shorter time even if police officers could not trace them at the last known address.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy announced that the Government would be introducing the new system later this year and would also be raising the minimum age to apply for motorcycle licences from 16 to 17.
Automobile Association of Malaysia chairman Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha supported the new merit-based system, saying it would not burden drivers intending to renew their licences.
While welcoming the system, Association of Malaysian Driving Institutes acting president Hanafi Mat Zin said the Road Transport Department should be prepared for bigger crowds at its counters.
“Now, the problem is that people will be coming more often to renew their licences,” he said.
Petaling Jaya Safety Driving Centre managing director C.T. Balan said increasing the age requirement for motorcyclists was no guarantee that the accident rate among motorcyclists would be reduced.
Such a ruling, he said, could also adversely affect young breadwinners in rural areas who relied on motorcycles to get around.
“Most of these youngsters have dropped out after Form Three, and depriving them of their transport will hurt their chances of picking up jobs.
“If they don’t get jobs, some might choose to loaf around instead,” he said.
Malaysian Federation of Associations of Driving Schools and Institutes secretary-general Harun Shafie said the two moves would not serve to reduce the country's high accident rate.
“They should encourage stronger enforcement of existing rulings, such as slapping demerit points on errant probationary drivers,” he said.
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
The million dollar question is, what form of monitoring will they use? Have they got enough man-power to enforce it?
What happended to KEJARA demerit system?
This silly government of the day has missed the real solution to the problems on the road. The best solution to the whole works is the introduction of a properly coordinated and efficient public transport system. That's the only viable solution to the problem bessting the nation for the past zillion years!
They haven't even finished sorting the merit-based system!
The original article referred:-
--------------------------------
The Star Online > Nation
Sunday April 24, 2005
Renewal of driving licence will be on merit
BY CECIL FUNG
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.
Related Story:
The Star Online > Nation
Sunday April 24, 2005
Getting drivers to behave
BY JONATHAN CHEW
PETALING JAYA: The new merit-based system for licence renewal is designed to reshape the attitude of drivers.
Road Safety Department director-general Suret Singh said under the existing system, which allowed the renewal of licences for up to 10 years, drivers could develop bad driving habits during their time on the road.
“They may be good drivers at the start, but their driving behaviour can change.
“We want to encourage new drivers not to have traffic offences and to be mindful of their driving habits,” he said when contacted yesterday.
The new system, he added, would also allow closer monitoring of drivers behaviour, as traffic offenders would have to come back to renew their licenses in a shorter time even if police officers could not trace them at the last known address.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy announced that the Government would be introducing the new system later this year and would also be raising the minimum age to apply for motorcycle licences from 16 to 17.
Automobile Association of Malaysia chairman Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha supported the new merit-based system, saying it would not burden drivers intending to renew their licences.
While welcoming the system, Association of Malaysian Driving Institutes acting president Hanafi Mat Zin said the Road Transport Department should be prepared for bigger crowds at its counters.
“Now, the problem is that people will be coming more often to renew their licences,” he said.
Petaling Jaya Safety Driving Centre managing director C.T. Balan said increasing the age requirement for motorcyclists was no guarantee that the accident rate among motorcyclists would be reduced.
Such a ruling, he said, could also adversely affect young breadwinners in rural areas who relied on motorcycles to get around.
“Most of these youngsters have dropped out after Form Three, and depriving them of their transport will hurt their chances of picking up jobs.
“If they don’t get jobs, some might choose to loaf around instead,” he said.
Malaysian Federation of Associations of Driving Schools and Institutes secretary-general Harun Shafie said the two moves would not serve to reduce the country's high accident rate.
“They should encourage stronger enforcement of existing rulings, such as slapping demerit points on errant probationary drivers,” he said.
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
posted by mamat at 9:19 PM
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