WITH Malaysia's heat showing absolutely no intention of letting up, more drivers have been eyeing curtains and window shades as a way to keep their cars from turning into ovens while stuck in traffic.
It seems harmless enough, and the options available online are both cheap and plentiful.
But before anyone starts measuring their car windows for soft furnishings, there is something worth knowing. Is it actually illegal to put curtains on your car windows in Malaysia?
Verdict:
TRUE
Installing any type of curtain, blind or decorative sticker on a car's windows is a traffic offence under Malaysian law and can result in a fine, according to fact-checkers at MyCheck Malaysia who investigated the matter after receiving public queries about the practice.
The prohibition falls under Section K 4(1) of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) Regulations 1991, and is listed as offence number 245 in the official JPJ enforcement action list.
Fines start at RM150 if paid within 15 days, rise to RM200 between 16 and 30 days and reach RM300 if paid between 31 and 60 days after the summons is issued.
The reason for the ban went beyond aesthetics.
Datuk Mohamad Dalib, then director of JPJ's Automotive Engineering Department, explained in a widely cited statement that the prohibition was tied directly to safety and crime prevention, noting that curtains and blinds could obstruct a driver's vision and create opportunities for criminal activity inside the vehicle.
Removable curtains were not exempt, he clarified, adding that any type of curtain regardless of whether it could be taken off was equally prohibited under existing laws.
Kuala Lumpur JPJ director Hamidi Adam confirmed that the Motor Vehicles (Use of Glass or Other Transparent Material) Rules 1991 prohibited the installation of curtains or blinds inside motor vehicles.
He noted, however, that buses and caravans were exempt under the same regulations.
"Therefore, the use of curtains in the rear or living area of vehicles registered as caravans is permitted under existing provisions, whether for private or commercial caravans," Hamidi said.
"In other words, even if a caravan is registered under a private name, the installation of curtains or blinds is still permitted," he said.
Caravans were permitted to install curtains only on windows behind the driver's seat on both sides, and only on the condition that visibility and safety were not compromised.
Drivers who wished to register their vehicle as a caravan were required to submit technical plans approved by JPJ's Automotive Engineering Division and pass an inspection at Puspakom before the classification would be granted.
Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief ACP Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa confirmed the offence could be enforced by both JPJ and the police under the same legal provision.
For everyone else, the message is clear: the sun is brutal, but the fine is real.
Source.
2. https://apsec.upm.edu.my/
