.jpg "Transport Minister Anthony Loke speaks to reporters during after chairing the National Transportation Council meeting at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre March 5, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Shafwan Zaidon")
KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — The Transport Ministry will not issue personalised vehicle registration plates due to the complications that could arise, including in enforcement, its minister Anthony Loke said.
He told the Dewan Rakyat today that such number plates were not feasible.
“The ministry does not have any intention to implement the personalised number plate policy at the moment. The ministry is of the view that the usage of this number plate is not suitable, because there is a possibility of it being similar or have overlapping names for some owners.
“This decision is also in line with the previous decision to not issue any special number plates. If this personalised number plate (policy) is done, it will also make enforcement efforts difficult, and this will lead to (people) abusing the number plates,” he said.
Loke had last year said that the government will cease the practice of allowing non-governmental organisations to commission special number plates from the Road Transport Department (RTD) in a bid to raise their own funds.
The highest price paid for a number plate was RM1.3 million for the Patriot 1 number plate, but the proceeds were collected by the Patriot Foundation and not the government.
“Yes, we are strict in not issuing any special number plates to any private parties or NGOs, because this is revenue to the government, and we want to maximise the revenue to be generated by the government,” Loke said today.
The minister was responding to a question from Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti), who had asked on the development of the government’s study into the personalised number plate concept for Malaysian cars, and when the ministry intents to introduce the system.
Lukanisman had also asked about the number of special number plates which will be issued to increase government revenue, and if the ministry is still steadfast on its stand to not issue special number plates to NGOs.
Loke replied that the ministry would be opening bids for a new ‘FC’ number plate series in April, in a move to increase government revenue.
“On April 15, we will kickstart a new initiative, that is using e-bidding for numbers to be sold to the public.
“We will do a pilot project for numbers in Putrajaya, with the serial number ‘FC’,” Loke explained.
