Effective May 19, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will stop allowing conversion of foreign driving licences to Malaysian licences. In a press statement, JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said this is part of the government’s efforts and commitment to improve road safety, strengthen governance and raise the quality of public service delivery.
“This is part of JPJ’s efforts to enhance compliance with road safety standards involving foreign nationals,” said Aedy. “Foreigners wanting a Malaysian driving licence will have to follow the same procedures as Malaysian citizens,” he said.
However, exceptions to the ruling will be made for certain categories of foreigners, such as members of the Diplomatic Corps and participants of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme. Additionally, Malaysians who obtain a foreign driving licence before getting a Malaysian licence are unaffected by the ruling.
An exception is also made for foreign nationals residing in Malaysia for less than 12 months. Drivers from countries signatory to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968 can continue to drive in Malaysia using an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by the relevant authority in their home country.
For nationals of Asean countries, drivers may use their respective nations’ driving licence, in accordance with the 1985 Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences Issued by Asean Countries. According to a The Star report, this is seen as a move to address cases of road accidents involving foreign drivers in Malaysia.
Good job, make sure to tackle unlicensed drivers
Such abrupt Zero or One decision just sounds more public pleasing than thoughtful. Request JPJ to take cues from neighbor country Singapore how they convert foreign license. They impose to go through theory test for personal car drivers before conversion, impose driving test for certain countries and driving test for all commercial driving license. Foreigners involving in accident are from countries perhaps issuing driving license on very loose and corrupted practices.
I converted my MY license to SG by taking a theory test. No expiry date for SG driving license!
More money for the Government. Also in compounds as there will be more people caught without a valid license. And as other people have said. Since when have other nations been worse than Malaysian drivers? All learn to drive like Malaysians , more accidents for sure. Good move JPJ. NOT.
Awesome Madani. Go to the root cause.
haha , now blaming forigners like locals are all angels on the road…
Sokong now ban singapore drivers from coming into malaysia
I feel this conflicts with the intent and wording of the 1949 Geneva convention treaty.
Even if Malaysia says, “we allow IDPs, but only for 90 days,” once it:
• Removes your right to drive after that,
• And requires a test or exam for continued driving,
…it has effectively nullified the treaty obligation, because you’re no longer enjoying the treaty benefit without further examination.
So — being forced to take an exam, despite already having a German license and a valid IDP, contradicts both the letter and the spirit of the 1949 agreement.
Any thoughts?
So foreign driving licenses are not as high standard as the one issued by JPJ? Foreign driving licenses are obtained with under table money?
new source of income from foreign drivers.
cant wait for the outcome since he is the one who steal my belongings I am still waiting for his return of my belongings and the outcome of the news
cant wait for the outcome news and his return
“Foreigners wanting a Malaysian driving licence will have to follow the same procedures as Malaysian citizens,”
Yay Welcome and learn undertable and license terbang for additional income.