‘e-Testing will put the brakes on corruption’

PETALING JAYA: The e-Testing system is a step in the right direction to fight corrupt practices, say experts.

Persatuan Institut Memandu Malaysia president Mat Aris Bakar said other than eliminating the problem of corruption, e-Testing will also help solve the issue of a shortage of examiners at driving schools.

“e-Testing can combat two main problems: the shortage of driving examiners and unethical practices in this industry.

“It will help to provide a more professional image of driving institutes, and more driving school students will be able to undergo their tests, reducing the backlog for those waiting to be tested,” he said.

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Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua said the new digital driving test system can reduce the potential for bias or unethical practices, such as bribery or favouritism.

“This ensures a standardised evaluation process where each candidate is assessed based on pre-determined criteria and parameters,” he said.

He added that e-Testing can incorporate more real-time monitoring features, allowing authorities to detect any irregularity or suspicious activities, making it difficult for institutions or people to tamper with test results.

However, Safety Driving Centre Sdn Bhd operations director Ct. Kumar was concerned about the financial cost and time needed to adjust and adapt to the new system.

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“I support this initiative, but I’m not sure how it is going to work in practice so long as there is no clear cost structure plan for us to review.

“At this moment, we don’t have any details on how much it might cost. But if it follows current pricing, then only the big driving institutions will be able to afford it,” he said adding that glitches and bad weather may also affect the results.

Kumar believes that it will take at least another three to four years for businesses to implement and understand the new system.

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Selangor Road Safety Council permanent member Tengku Ahmad Marwan Tengku Mahmud was concerned that the new type of test may result in the production of ‘‘low quality” drivers on the road.

He added that driving a motor vehicle is a high-risk activity in which a negligent or incompetent driver will not only endanger himself but other road users as well.

“Driving a vehicle is a very subjective activity that requires thorough assessment from highly competent examiners instead of only by a computer system according to predetermined criteria.

“So (by removing examiners) do we just want more “licenced” drivers or more quality drivers who can contribute towards better road safety than what we have now?” he said in a Facebook post.