Kuala Lumpur JPJ warns foreigners against purchasing unrecognised International Driving Permits sold for up to RM500, following an enforcement operation.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has detected certain parties offering unrecognised International Driving Permits (IDPs) to foreigners for up to RM500, with a validity period of five years.
Kuala Lumpur JPJ Director Hamidi Adam said the documents were believed not to meet the recognition requirements for driving legally in Malaysia.
“For comparison, the IDP issued by JPJ Malaysia has a validity period of one year based on the Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva, 19 September 1949, and its use is subject to the laws of the respective country or territory.
“A document bearing the words ‘International Driving Permit’ does not automatically grant a person the right to drive in Malaysia. The document must be issued by an authority and meet the recognition requirements applicable in this country,” he said in a statement today.
In this regard, Hamidi reminded foreigners not to be easily deceived by offers to obtain international driving documents from parties without proper authority or recognition.
In a separate development, Hamidi said the department seized 47 of 121 vehicles inspected during the Foreign Drivers Operation (Ops PeWA) carried out around Kuala Lumpur today.
He said the vehicles comprised 40 motorcycles, four cars and three goods vehicles, while 273 road traffic offence notices were issued, including 217 P22 notices, four PG1 notices, five Section 61(1) notices and 47 Section 64(1) Seizure notices under the Road Transport Act 1987 [Act 333].
He added that among the offences detected were 120 offences related to Competent Driving Licences (CDL), 52 Motor Vehicle Licence (LKM) offences, 51 insurance offences, 37 technical offences, and four offences each for vocational licences and misuse of LKM.
He said 58 foreigners, comprising 17 from Pakistan, 11 from Myanmar, 10 from Bangladesh, nine from Indonesia, seven from India, and the remainder from Arab countries and Cambodia, were also detained in the operation. They comprised drivers, attendants and motorcycle pillion riders.
Hamidi also issued a stern warning to vehicle owners, operators and those renting out vehicles not to arbitrarily allow their vehicles to be driven by unauthorised individuals.
