Unlicensed motorists to be hauled straight to court

malaysian driving license 001

The traffic police are clamping down hard on motorists driving or riding without a valid licence – those caught will no longer be stung with a compound fine as before, but will now be hauled straight to court for the offence, according to The Sun. Reportedly enforced since the middle of last month, the new ruling has seen thousands of unlicensed drivers and motorcyclists reprimanded and charged in court.

The move comes amid the steep rise in the number of such offences over the past few years – with the police nabbing more than 630,000 motorists without possession of a licence in 2014 and 2015 – which is claimed to be a leading contributor to the high number of road accidents recorded each year.

Motorists who are found guilty of committing the offence could face a fine of up to RM1,000 or a year in jail, or both, under Section 26 of the Road Transport Act; they could also be charged under Section 90 for driving without insurance coverage, which carries a fine of up to RM2,000 or three months in prison, or both.

Speaking to the English language daily, federal traffic police chief SAC Mahamad Akhir Darus said that the doubling down on unlicensed motorists was aimed at educating them on the dangers of driving without a valid licence. “A driver or rider without a licence has not undergone formal training or tests,” he said. “They may not know anything about traffic laws, road signs or defensive driving.

polis operasi PT

“Hence, they are not just a a danger to other road users but to themselves as well. We intend to send out a strong message that we do not condone the actions of such offenders. It is neither to burden them nor to collect revenue. It’s to educate them. The police force is an enforcement agency and not one that collects revenue.”

Akhir added that the police would no longer be issuing compound summonses for driving without a licence, but will instead seize the offender’s vehicle and issue the driver or motorcyclist with a court order.

“Since they do not have a licence, it would be unlawful to allow them to continue using the vehicle,” he said. “Hence, we will bar the offender from driving it and seize the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle will then be summoned to show up to collect it. The vehicle owner will also be issued with a RM300 fine for allowing an unlicensed driver to use the vehicle.”

Inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar announced the impending move back in February, saying it was to ensure that road users took the matter seriously and be responsible on the road. “There are many accidents and fatalities caused by those without licences,” he said.

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • BOYRACER on May 11, 2016 at 11:16 am

    Don’t play play.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • redciku on May 11, 2016 at 11:40 am

    Maaf Tuan, bolih Settle tak?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 47 Thumb down 4
    • Tong Sampah on May 11, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      how many hit and run the police dont want to settle unless their own car repair shop get involve? PJ Traffic is so well known for all involved before..
      now all these hit and run potentially are all without licenses..and i seen motorcycle turn around and drive in wrong direction when police is there!

      If they are serious, Just check all in the tol booth.(of course not rush hour please)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
    • hahaha on May 11, 2016 at 1:43 pm

      if only this genius law is implemented!!!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Muniandy Periasamy on May 11, 2016 at 1:45 pm

      Do you know there are 3 million motorist on Malaysian roads without licence? this is official figure.

      So, 3 million out of 10 million motorist are illegal. Now you know why so many accidents.

      The big question we must ask is this….how did it baloon up to 3 million? Very simple. Over the years, PDRM and JPJ makan duit kopi when they catch these no lesen people. So, over 20 years, it has grown bigger and bigger and bigger.

      If 20 yrs ago, every year you catch people and don’t makan suap, the figure can never be a whopping 3 million.

      That is why Malaysia has thousands of lorry hantu that kill thousands of people every year. The driver just runs away and PDRM cannot find the driver. Instead of prosecuting the company owning the lorry for the death, PDRM say NFA

      One good question to ask, how you going to bring 3 million offenders to court? Already normal legal cases take few years to settle. Now 3 million offenders to add to the courts problems.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
      • Mutusamy Karuppiah on May 11, 2016 at 5:37 pm

        Reference for the figure or you just bs here. Thx

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 7
        • Muniandy Periasamy on May 11, 2016 at 7:46 pm

          go and google it. Everything in life also want to spoon feed is it?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
    • Albert on May 11, 2016 at 5:00 pm

      Redciku,Of course SEMUA BOLIH bincang…
      tHE COPS GOT IT WRONG.
      They should get court order to send the owners of the vehicles to JAIL for at least 6 months.
      Have u seen 14 year olds riding a bike with 3 more pillion riders?
      It is like the gun licence holder giving the gun to a 4-5 year old kid to play LIKE A TOY.
      The underaged and unlicensed pose the greatest danger as KILLING MACHINES.
      WHAT IS THE POINT of sending a 14 year old to jail?
      The one who gave him the keys should be severely punished with A JAIL TERM.
      Tan Sri,we support your gallant effort,but please punish the owners more,not the underaged especially.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • We need to be fair too on May 11, 2016 at 11:49 am

    I think the RM1,000 penalty is too light. This is unfair to the victims whenever accident hapens. For example if my car had an accident with a guy who drives without licence, my lost will be too great, maybe lost my car with a claim on my own insurance with ten of thousands RM lost while the real offender will only have to pay RM1,000 as fine.

    This is same also with people who drives without insurance and road tax. They are the offender but they only will have to pay RM300 as fine while the victims will have to bare all the cost even thought they are not at fault. This is really unfair. I had an experience whereby I had an accident with a clone car as well as unlicensed motorbike. Its really hurting when you find out that you will have to bare the cost with your own insurance while the other guy who is actually the criminal just walk away with light sentence. No wonder people these days don’t bother to drive without insurance and road tax. So easy to get away with it.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 62 Thumb down 2
    • Wonda on May 11, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      Licensed or not, Malaysians will always break road rules.

      We got to accept that here, even some driving school instructors drive like morons. And believe it or not, even the magistrate who handles traffic cases in court, drive like Hamilton when they got their shiny new car.

      If the reason is accidents, then, the one who caused accidents should be fined higher.

      Those with skilled licensed (PSV) should be fined twice higher, becaused they drive bigger vehicles. And they are supposed to have more braincells.

      And those with more respectable position, like lawyers and politicians (including their driver and escorts) be fined 5 x than normal because they should be showing higher standards than mat rempit.

      Government lost millions every year because these people do not have licenses. That’s why. Money, money, money ….

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • Muniandy Periasamy on May 11, 2016 at 3:07 pm

      the PDRM cannot even handle crime happening infront of their own eyes also, they want to hunt down people with no lesen.

      Everyday, infront of polis officers, hundreds of motorbikes beat the red light. The polis officer just stands there and smiles. He does not do anything. He does not even take note of the moto registration plate.

      Everyday, hundreds beat the lights infront of polis officers. These offenders now think it is okey to beat any red light anywhere cause they think if they do it infront of polis officers nothing happens, everything is cool.

      Daily hundreds of major accidents happen cause motorbikes get rammed by cars cause the motorbike beats the lights. Isn’t it time for polis to do their jobs?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 3
  • hangat2 tahi ayam on May 11, 2016 at 11:51 am

    hangat2 clamp down, but for how long? 1 month la, before ramadhan starts. by syawal, semua boleh bawak again tanpa lesen.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 25 Thumb down 2
  • Citizen on May 11, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    I applaud this ruling.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 0
  • nabill (Member) on May 11, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    so u r telling me if caught , on the spot ‘settlement’ wont do? i mean hahahahahahahahaha!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • seancorr (Member) on May 11, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Guys at the office, how about clamping down on flying licenses first? That’s even worse as its being committed together with JPJ. Look at how many idiotic drivers who have no clue how to drive are on the road now coz of that?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 3
  • Lulla on May 11, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    Perfect receipe to make tons of money on and during hari raya.police traffic must b proud on that.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • IamPeterGriffin on May 11, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    Please also clamp down racer wannabes on their Superbikes. Most of them don’t even have a valid B-Full license!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • 4G63T DSM on May 11, 2016 at 1:20 pm

    Oh, is this why they are giving motorcyclists free license now??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • orang biasa on May 11, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    I agreed this rules, but how it will stand?
    This is the question. Like “saman”, hangat 2 bulan to catch who didn’t pay, lepas tu… tiada news pula. Saman-er pula senang2 bawak kereta motor macam biasa.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • komarad on May 11, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    this I need to see first…as so many teenager riding their parents bike and drive cars as well…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • superdriver on May 11, 2016 at 3:51 pm

    Finally. Please get the mat rempit before KL becomes their private racing circuit. Please tarik their bikes

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Psyduck on May 11, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    Not good enough – should be hauled straight into lockup/jail!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Megane on May 11, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    Yes please come down hard on those illegal motorists . Only punitive law will teach them lessons . Hip hip horay . Punish the parents as well if you wish so that they become more responsible . Many school going children are riding without any license and are involved in accidents yet they go scot free . Hip hop horay x2 . Have no mercy please .

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • AyamBadak on May 12, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Then you’ll see quite a lot policemen and soldiers, or teachers, or nurse parent in the prison. In my taman alone I guess more than 20 parents (gov servants) have to spend a night in there.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • driverinKL on Oct 14, 2023 at 12:45 am

      There are 2 things: the assumption that having a CDL means that the motorist is skilled, does not have accidents and never breaks the law is one that is potentially flawed. If we talk about illegal motorists, does that include the rows and rows of cars double & triple parking at the school gates every day? Perhaps the child could make the sacrifice and walk maybe as much as 30-50m to the waiting parent who has parked in the car park rather than on the No Parking zone. Are those also illegal motorists? An alternative to life in prison for a driving offence such as no CDL perhaps making the offender register for a licence and take lessons would be better way of attaining the desired outcome. If people are fined RM300-RM1000 for no licence how can they afford to pay for lessons? So they reoffend…. so the cycle continues……

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kadirun on May 11, 2016 at 5:26 pm

    Good move. Haul them straight to court and seize their vehicle. Please do a crack down in Kota Damansara. There are so many of them here riding without license especially kids. Let the parents pay for their offences. Teach them a lesson too for letting them kids take their bikes on the road. Don’t stop at no license, do this for illegal racing as well. Go to court then straight to jail and crush their vehicle just like some other countries where they take this into action just to curb offences.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • Average Joe Me on May 11, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    “Surely can kawtim right, Mr Police Officer???”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Chingu on May 13, 2016 at 9:09 am

    Well, we will see more pending cases in court….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ColdAir on May 16, 2016 at 3:08 am

    How abt a rider, with a driving license with no riding license? Do these riders has to obtain an L license instead? Or just stick an L sticker on their bike and ride with a D license? Or rider should have B2 or B and driver should have D license depending on what they’re riding or driving? A bit confuse somehow.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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