There are many obscure laws, rules and regulations in Malaysia that the general public is unaware of. One of my personal favourites has got to be Rule 24(i) of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Rules 1959 LN 170/59, which prohibits road users from equipping their private vehicles with a horn that has more than one tone.
What makes this rule even more absurd is the punishment one could face if convicted. Under its parent legislation, the Road Transport Act 1987, first-time offenders can be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed for up to six months. A subsequent conviction is worse, as the penalty escalates to a fine of up to RM4,000, a prison sentence of up to 12 months, or both.
Well, unless you are one of the many lorry drivers who, for some inexplicable reason, invest in melodic horns for their heavy vehicles, this obscure rule is likely nothing more than a fun trivia fact to share with friends. However, there is another lesser-known subsidiary legislation under the Road Transport Act 1987 that could easily affect you. In fact, it is something very common among road users in Malaysia due to our country’s hot weather, and one that many do not realise is actually an offence.
Did you know that the use of blinds or curtains, including temporary ones like suction-cup sunshades, is prohibited on private vehicles in Malaysia?
Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) Rules 1991
While it is common knowledge that you cannot tint your private vehicle's windows beyond the legally permitted Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) levels (70% for the windshield, 50% for the driver and front passenger side windows, and 0% for the rear windows and windshield), many are unaware that installing curtains, blinds, or even removable sunshades is also prohibited. This is prescribed under Rule 4 of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) Rules 1991 below:
Rule 4(1) expressly bans the fitting or usage of a curtain, venetian blind, or any other material in a motor vehicle to shield the interior. However, as per Rule 4(2), the prohibition does not apply to a bus or a caravan, provided that they are not fitted on the side windows immediately to the left or right side of the driver.
For reference, Rule 2 defines buses and caravans as follows:
In other words, these rules apply only to private vehicles in Malaysia, but certain individuals are exempted from the rules, which are prescribed under Rule 11:
The penalties (and how they usually play out)
So, what punishment awaits offenders? Under Rule 10, the penalties are:
- First conviction: A fine of up to RM2,000 or up to 6 months in jail
- Subsequent convictions: A fine of up to RM4,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both
If the penalty sounds familiar, it is because it is consistent with the aforementioned rule on horns, as they follow the general offences and penalties prescribed by Section 119 of the parent Act of both subsidiary legislations, the Road Transport Act 1987.
With that in mind, no one has ever been jailed for putting on sunshades or having a melodic horn on their vehicles, as the relevant authorities would usually just compound offenders rather than going through the courts.
In fact, based on the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) list of offences on its website, those who commit offences under Rule 4(1) of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) Rules 1991 will be issued a compound of:
- RM150 if paid within 15 days
- RM200 if paid within 16 to 30 days
- RM300 if paid within 31 to 60 days
So, why are sunshades banned?
So why is putting up blinds or other materials, even removable ones, prohibited? Datuk Haji Mohamad Dalib, JPJ’s former automotive engineering department director, was quoted by automotive portal Paultan.org in 2018 as saying that the ban’s reasoning is similar to that of excessively dark window tint. These items may pose a safety concern by hindering the driver’s vision, and visibility into the vehicle from the outside should remain clear and unobstructed.
In the same article, Mohamad Dalib also confirmed that the use of removable blinds and sunshades is prohibited. This is despite a news report in 2012, which quoted JPJ as saying that using sunshades or towels to block out the sun was allowed because they are not permanent. Somewhere in the intervening years, the department apparently changed its stance on the matter.
So, what do you think of the rules? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section!
Saiful Ridzaimi (saiful.ridzaimi@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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