Birthday renewal to ensure drivers do not forget licence expiry date

KUALA LUMPUR: If you are among the many who just can't remember when your driving licence needs to be renewed, there is to be the perfect “reminder” a birthday renewal.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who disclosed this yesterday, said the Road Transport Department (JPJ) was working on the details.

He said many motorists caught driving with expired licences tended to use the excuse of forgetting to renew it.

“If the holder's next birthday is less than six months after the expiry of the licence, the fee for the period will be free during the transition time,” he told a press conference at Wisma MCA.

However, if the period between the holder's next birthday and the expiry date of the licence was more than six months, the holder would be charged 50% of the renewal fee, he added.

Kong said licence holders would still be allowed to renew their licences for up to five years.
The minister said the RTD was open to feedback and suggestions on the proposed renewal system.

“We also need to ensure that our computer system can comply with the new implementation.”

On another matter, Kong said the registration of new vehicles from January to June had increased by 5.25%, to 614,775 this year compared to 584,088 during the same period last year.

“For the private vehicles category, the registration of cars from January to June increased by 2.57% to 296,383, compared with 288,968 during the same period last year,” he said.

Kong said the registration of commercial vehicles showed an increase of 8.24%, with 36,875 registered, compared with 35,033 over the same period last year.

He said the ministry was confident that the total number of registered vehicles this year would exceed a million, as was the case in 2009 and 2010.

On Monday, the Malaysian Automotive Association revised its total industry volume forecast to 608,000 units from 618,000 units initially for 2011 due to disruption in supply. This was due to the earthquake/tsunami in Japan and delays to vehicle registrations over the amendments made to the Hire Purchase Act 1967