Digital road tax: More features to roll out

Making life simple: Loke showing the physical licence and sample of a physical motorcycle road tax during the press conference after visiting the Selangor JPJ office in Shah Alam. With him are Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (second from left) and ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan.— KK SHAM/The Star

SHAH ALAM: It is a happy new year indeed for Malaysian motorists and vehicle owners with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) rolling out more convenient services.

For starters, the digital road tax or e-LKM has been made accessible to more than just the vehicle owner. This will benefit family members who share their vehicles.

The new “Kongsi LKM” function on the MyJPJ smartphone app is also able to make the electronic road tax accessible to those who borrow vehicles with the consent of the owner.

This is certainly great news to those who share their vehicles as previously, the smart app could only be accessed by vehicle owners.

These changes were effective from yesterday.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who announced the changes, said vehicle owners have to just click the number plate and the Kongsi LKM button to share the e-LKM with others.

“This function has a time limit for sharing which can be stipulated by the vehicle owner. It comes with an activation code for the person wanting to share the e-LKM,’’ he told reporters during a working visit to the Selangor JPJ headquarters here yesterday.

Loke said the application system will delete the electronic road tax sharing record if the code is not activated within 24 hours.

In another significant change, Malaysians will be able to renew their driving licences via the MyJPJ app with an incentive thrown in too – those who opt for online renewals from Feb 1 to Dec 31, 2024, will get a RM5 rebate.

Loke said it is to encourage more Malaysians to use the e-service to renew their licences.

“This initiative is only for Malaysians and not extended to foreign nationals or any pass, long-term permit, MyKAS Card or MyPR Card holders,” he said, adding that the new initiatives would help Malaysians save time and cost besides preventing overcrowding at JPJ offices.

The minister said online licence renewals will be implemented in stages with the first phase covering private vehicles.

Studies conducted last year showed an increase in motorists and vehicle owners opting for digitalisation, he added.

He assured those still not ready to instead opt for the physical road tax this year, adding that JPJ will also continue to offer physical driving licences in 2024, both under a new format.

“Currently, the physical motor vehicle licence (LKM) comes in a sticker disc and the physical driving licence (LMM) in a plastic card. After this, the physical LKM and LMM will just be on security paper,’’ he said, adding that the new road tax disc need not be displayed on the vehicle’s windshield.