The proposal made last week by the police to impose special conditions and limit the issuance of driving licences to senior citizens has created quite a stir. It was suggested that elderly drivers be required to undergo an examination by a doctor to determine if they are mentally and physically competent to drive before they are allowed to renew their driving licences.
Following this, mention began to circulate about a suggestion to impose these conditions on senior citizens above 70 years old, going as far fetched as having them surrender their driving licences. There were also reports highlighting the possibility of limiting the issuance of road tax (LKM) to older folk.
This talk was nipped in the bud by the transport ministry a few days ago, when transport minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that there nothing of such a nature was on the cards.
In a statement, Wee said that any related policy change must be handled with a systematic, evidence-based approach, and needed to be treated with foresight. He said that simply refusing a driver the means to drive on the basis of their age or based on isolated and anecdotal evidence would be discriminatory, because many drivers far over 70 display greater competence in driving compared to their younger peers for any number of reasons.
He reiterated this today. Speaking at the Dewan Rakyat, he said that that his ministry has never said that senior citizens above 70 would have to surrender their driving licences, The Star reports. He explained that the ministry would never make such a requirement as driving competency is not based on an individual’s age.
“If you look at YB Langkawi (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad), he can drive very well, far better than those who drive recklessly on the roads. So there cannot be discrimination against those who are aged 70 and above. That is why I said it is not the stance of the ministry, and we have no intention of changing it,” he said in reply to a supplementary question on the matter.
In his earlier statement, Wee had said that a holistic approach was needed to determine one’s ability to drive, not just focusing on age alone. He explained that a thorough, inclusive and collective discussion that takes into account all stakeholders’ views were crucial in order to map out an effective improvement plan.
He said such a plan must also consider socio-economic factors such as the need to use a vehicle for income or for medical visits, and added that withdrawing or limiting a valid licence to any individual based on their age should only be considered as a last resort, and done only after transparently verifying a person’s fitness to drive with a recognised test.
Earlier today, the Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology (MSO) also waded in on the topic, stating that implementing a legislation that revokes driving licences with only age as a factor, prior to stakeholder consultation and proper policies being put in place, would be a premature move.
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The elephant in the room is really about statistics, humans lie – stats do not. The major cause of accidents and misery for those maimed or injured in these events are within the age category of 17-35 years old. Any deterrent needs to have in place increasing insurance premiums for these age groups and perhaps also looking into increasing premiums of those aged 80 and above incrementally. The education of those with penalty points needs to be addressed with visits to injured victims as part of CSR programs, much effort in these over knee-jerk reactions are better than emotional and clueless statements by ministers who are not aware of facts as accident stats show that Malaysia has one of the highest accidents per capita or per population vs automobile ratios in the world.
Easy to pinpoint the younger generation when we are the largest of driver age groups. Why not breakdown towards accident percentage per age group and see again. People are pushing for UNDI18 in trusting us to make the right decision but at same time mistrusting us to drive properly? What is this shit? Either you trust us or you don’t! Stop patronising the young!
In what universe are those two issues linked? What shit is this? Don’t lari topic la. Just because the legal driving age and possibly the legal voting age will be the same soon in no way makes that age group better drivers. If only it were that easy.
Ahsiongkor,YB Langkawi has an escort/codriver for company when he took the revamped protons for a spin not too long ago.
He knew age was on his side,and he did the right thing by having a younger driver at his side.
The current controversy is because no data was presented as to the percentage of senior drivers driving dangerously .
Accidents have multiple causes.
Until more data is forthcoming,the authorities should focus on more relevant matters…drivers under influence of dadah and alcohol.
The yellow Myvi driver could have ‘evaporated’ if the speeding lorry driver have pressed the accelerator harder while “high”at Jalan Ipoh.
These dadah drivers should never have been allowed to roam our streets.Its a shame we let these morons create havoc to innocent lives.
Right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing & vice versa. The transport ministry should request the home ministry to advice PDRM against publicly making proposals that would involve the work scope of other ministries. This proposal should have gone 1st to the home minister who can discuss it with the transport minister in the next cabinet meeting.
According to The Star, that was the JSPT own personal view rather than an official stance from the Govt, the PDRM, nor in any his official capacity as JSPT.
If it is the JSPT director’s personal view, he should not have made it known to the media. As someone who is holding a position of leadership within PDRM, he should know that his words & actions in public, does reflect on PDRM as a government law enforcement body.
People are not robots and they should be entitled to their own personal viewpoint if it goes against his employer’s direction, that is called Democracy. The news outlet however should have highlight this unless JSPT had announced it via official channels or press conference.
Democracy? Does PDRM hold elections to elect their JSPT director & the other department heads plus their own KPN big boss?
I am going to be century old soon, thanks to battery operated heart I could even drive F1 go-cart at racing circuit tomorrow
We renew driving license every year. Pay RM30 and go, you can drive for another year. Nothing change.
I suggest all license holders shall seat for a simple exam/test in order to get his/her license renew. Just a simple one page test with random question (not same for every person) regarding rules and regulations and common sense during driving. So JPJ just don’t take RM30 free money anymore.
Dr Wee talks sense. Best Transport Minister we had in a while. Thumbs up!
So…PDRM wants people who learnt how to drive when lesen kopi was unheard of, to have a yearly review of their driving competence. How about imposing stricter and more stringent licensing conditions on those who have yet to be licensed, enforcing the law, and targeting the age group with the most accidents – ie males from 17-35 as Ram R has said? And who knows if this yearly testing process will just become another songlap opportunity for whoever/whichever agency is tasked with it. Just ask the insurance industry for the data – they have it. So much for the caliber of the JSPT director – an unashamed ageist.