Fancy having Malaysia on your car plate?

PUTRAJAYA: From next month, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will open tenders for vehicle registration numbers for Malaysia 1 up to Malaysia 9999.

These limited edition special registration numbers will be available in conjunction with this year’s Merdeka Day celebration and as part of efforts to generate revenue for the country.

“We hope to collect more than the RM22mil that was collected by JPJ for the sale of the V index series. The money will go directly into the Government’s coffers,” Transport Minister Anthony Loke said at a media conference.

The registration number “V1” was sold for RM989,780. However, the highest amount paid was RM1.3mil for Patriot 1.

But Loke said the money for this special registration was given to an NGO and that he has discontinued this practice.

Loke said ministers would also have to bid if they are interested in getting the Malaysia registration number.

However, he said JPJ will reserve Malaysia 2020 for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had coined Vision 2020.

“That is if he wants to have the number,” the minister said.

Bidding will start from July 2 till July 16 and the result will be made public on Aug 23.

Meanwhile, Loke said the special series for states would be rolled out later this year while the proposed personalised vehicle registration number is still in the discussion stage.

“We want to find ways to contribute to the Government’s revenue. If the Government has more money, then we can implement more plans such as subsidising the public buses as well as the RM100 unlimited pass for public transport,” he said,

On a separate issue, Loke said the Government wants to implement the 51 recommendations in the Genting Highlands bus crash investigation report.

Loke said he had directed the ministry’s secretary-general to revisit the report.

“Any suggestions which have not been carried out will be implemented. The ministry views accidents involving public transport, especially express buses, very seriously and we will do whatever is necessary to prevent road incidents involving them,” he said.

Loke was responding to questions on the latest incident on Sunday where three people died in a collision between an express bus, a container lorry and a tanker near the Pagoh exit along the North-South Expressway.

An independent advisory panel was set up following a bus crash in Genting Highlands in Aug 2013.

The accident saw 37 people killed and 16 injured when the bus plunged into a ravine while coming down from the highland resort.

Loke added a meeting between the ministry and several car distribution companies would be held today to address the issue of faulty Takata airbags.

“The number of affected cars being recalled is huge. What is worrying is that not many car owners are aware that their cars are being recalled and they need to get their airbags replaced,” the minister said.

According to records, there had been seven deaths due to defective Takata airbags in Malaysia.