Transport Ministry shuts down 'One Community One JPJ' driving licence programme

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the first challenge for PKFZ was to figure out how to utilise the land at a higher value

PUTRAJAYA: The Transport Ministry has ordered the Road Transport Department's "One Community One JPJ" programme to be scrapped with immediate effect.

Its Minister Anthony Loke (pic) said the programme allowed its participants to obtain a B2 (motorcycle) licence without going through stringent tests.

"The programme is meant to help the underprivileged, especially those from the rural community, to obtain a B2 licence at a cheaper rate without having to go to a driving school.

"They will undergo about a week's course conducted at the villages and will acquire their licence after.

"The ministry feels this should not be the case as the tests are not stringent enough. Therefore, we have agreed to scrap the programme.

"Those who wish to acquire a B2 licence must go through the normal procedure through driving institutions," said Loke at a press conference after chairing his ministry's weekly post-cabinet meeting.

Up to 2017, 132,851 individuals have obtained a B2 licence through the programme.

However, Loke said the Ministry does not intend to revoke the licences of those who acquired it through the programme.

"This is a programme by the past government. The ministry decided that licences will no longer be given out this way," he said.

On another matter, Loke said that the Ministry will take action against scams offering driving licences illegally on social media.

"We discovered some Facebook pages that offer these services. JPJ has lodged police reports against these and will also lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)," said Loke.

He said any JPJ officers found to be involved in such scams will be sacked, and complicit driving institutions will have their operations shut down.