KUALA LUMPUR: The government is mulling the possibility of making defensive driving courses mandatory, particularly for drivers with traffic offence records or suspended licences, says Anthony Loke (pic).
The Transport Minister said this is part of the ministry’s efforts to improve the existing curriculum with a stronger focus on practical driving skills and accident avoidance techniques, rather than merely passing tests.
“This is a new approach we want to introduce, either by mandating or encouraging drivers with suspended licences and similar cases to return for defensive driving courses or undergo training on safer and more responsible driving to prevent accidents.”
Loke said this in reply to Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) on the proposal to review the motorcycle licence training curriculum at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday, Bernama reported.
The Dewan Rakyat was also told that the Transport Ministry and the Education Ministry have agreed to implement more targeted interventions, particularly among school students who ride motorcycles to school, following the High-Level Committee Meeting on Road Safety and Congestion on Jan 20.
Loke said the MyLesen B2 programme, which previously offered free training to the B40 group, will now be targeted at secondary schools to ensure student motorcyclists receive formal and structured training, thereby reducing accident risks linked to inexperience.
“In addition, we will restructure the free helmet exchange programme to focus on school students who ride motorcycles,” he said.
Loke also said the ministry has implemented the Safe School Zone or MySafe School initiative, which supports a 30km/h speed limit around school areas through improved safety infrastructure such as speed limit signs, road markings and traffic-calming road designs.
He said motorcyclists accounted for 66.4% of total road fatalities last year, with those aged between 16 and 30 forming the largest group of victims.
Citing information from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Loke said key factors contributing to road accidents, particularly those involving motorcycles, include risky behaviour, mixed traffic interactions between heavy vehicles and motorcycles, insufficient riding skills and low safety awareness.
Later, at the launch of the matching grant programme in Putrajaya, Loke said the initiative was to encourage Malaysians to replace vehicles 20 years or older.
He said the Matching Grant to Replace Old Vehicles Programme, totalling RM10mil under Budget 2026, is aimed at reducing the use of old vehicles that are unsafe, fuel-inefficient and do not meet current safety standards, as well as to boost demand for new local vehicles.
The incentive allows eligible vehicle owners to receive up to RM2,000 from local manufacturers.
The government will provide a matching grant for a total of RM4,000 for the purchase of a new vehicle.
Loke also revealed that 4.07 million or 20.7% of the 19.69 million registered vehicles had inactive road tax of at least three years, indicating a concerning number of old and abandoned vehicles.
He pointed out that the move was vital to reduce the number of old vehicles that are no longer roadworthy, which would in turn reduce the risk of vehicular crashes and boost motorist safety.
Vehicles traded in must be disposed of by licensed disposal centres to ensure the disposal process complies with legal and environmental standards.
Loke said if the response was encouraging, they would submit an application to the Finance Ministry for additional allocation to tackle the issue of old and abandoned vehicles.
The initiative will be expanded to taxi drivers through a specific programme in the future, he added.
