KUALA LUMPUR: Motorcyclists are allowed to use lanes on roads, highways, federal roads and other roads except those with designated motorcycle lanes, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said that the ministry is monitoring road safety of bikers using spaces between lanes (lane splitting) and spaces in the same lane (lane filtering) to overtake other vehicles on high-risk roads, especially at high speeds.
However, enforcement can only be taken on roads with designated motorcycle lanes he said, in a written parliamentary response to Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya) on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Lee had asked whether the government plans to enact stricter laws regarding lane splitting and filtering to reduce the death rate of motorcyclists in Malaysia
Loke added that driving schools’ training already provides learners with an understanding of the risks of lane splitting and lane filtering.
“License candidates are trained using a specific training module on safe riding skills that emphasises complying with road regulations, including how to safely overtake vehicles,” he said.
In response to another question from Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (Beruas), Loke reminded that the Road Transport Department is empowered to block the renewal of a driver’s licence where there are pending cases or violations of the Road Transport Act 1987.
He said that according to the Court of Appeal decision for the case of Leonard Lim Yaw Chiang v Director of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) of Negeri Sarawak & Anor [2008] MLJU 1091, the JPJ's action in blocking the renewal transactions of driving and motorbike licenses is lawful.
Ngeh had asked about JPJ disallowing vehicle owners with unsettled traffic compounds from renewing their driving licences.
