KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — The proposal to limit the speed of low-capacity motorcycles, better known as ‘kap chai’, to 70km/hour requires a careful study because its implementation would involve about 10 million registered motorcycle owners, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
He said other than the safety aspect, the study should also cover various other angles and how far it could be implemented.
“We are aware there is a proposal to limit the speed of the kap chai, but with the situation in Malaysia, it needs a very big approval as it involves many kap chai owners in the country.
“Maybe it involves 10 million motorcycle owners. So, this is a decision which will have a very big impact. I am not rejecting the proposal but in terms of practicality, it must be viewed from numerous angles,” he told Bernama here.
He was met after appearing as a guest on the ‘Jendela Berfikir’ programme broadcast by Bernama Radio, at the national news agency’s headquarters here.
In August, Works Minister Baru Bian was reported as saying that the recommendation to impose a speed limit for kap chai motorcycles could not be implemented yet as it needed a careful study which would take a long time.
The Safety First Group, a road pro-safety group, had urged the government to enforce the 70km/h speed limit for kap chai motorcycles and provide more special motorcycle lanes to reduce accidents involving this group of motorcyclists.
Commenting on the call for special motorcycle lanes on the left of road, Loke said it would be submitted to the Economic Affairs Ministry to make it part of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12).
He said it was a good proposal but its implementation required high expenditure as it involved building road structures and others.
“We hope we can build special motorcycle lanes and also provide highway designs in future which take the matter into account,” he added. — Bernama
