Kota Kinabalu: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) Tanjung Aru Division Chief Hiew Choon Yu said the implementation of the digital road tax and driving licence will be beneficial and “harmless” as long as law enforcement and related system problems are properly handled.
However, he said digitalisation is occurring too fast with the people struggling to adapt.
“Even relevant agencies such as the police and the post office that manage road tax and driver’s licences are also being caught off guard.
“Although, the latest instructions have been passed down, the specific details have not yet been clarified.
“Luckily the Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke Siew Fook immediately explained that this measure is not mandatory at the moment,” he said.
Hiew explained that a physical driver’s license and road tax are still in use, and the update it is only in a pilot phase at present.
“Also, if a non-owner is driving a car, you can also ask the owner for a screenshot of the road tax.
“This humanization action provides the elderly people who are not using smartphones or even have no mobile phones and the people who are on the fence the time to evaluate and to build up confidence,” he said.
However, he stressed that, the Ministry of Transport must take digital precautions to avoid data leakage of the public, especially after news of leakages from official institutions and MySejahtera during the epidemic.
“In addition, the MyJPJ system needs to be optimised. The registration process is not making it easy to the people because it is mandatory to change the password regularly as well as frequent network problems.
“These are issues that the Ministry needs to deal with as soon as possible to avoid making the public feel that the government is spending money to make unrealistic plans again,” he said.
Hiew said the top priority of the Ministry of Transport is to improve and correct the deficiencies of the system as soon as possible at this stage, so that the people can have confidence in the system, and ensure the popularisation of digital driving licenses and road taxes.
“As of Saturday (11 Feb), MyJPJ is still facing the problem of crashing,” he stressed.
However he agreed that once the road tax and driver’s licence are fully digitalized, people will not need to go to the crowded Road Transport Department (JPJ), and therefore improving the efficiency and people’s comfort.
“It will also save RM9.6 million in printing costs for implementing other measures to benefit the people,” he added.
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