PUTRAJAYA, Aug 2 — Several Road Transport Department (JPJ) branches have been directed to take down a notice which says JPJ is no longer issuing physical road tax for private vehicles, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
The directive was issued by JPJ director-general Rospiagos Taha to the branches, which said physical road tax would not be given beginning August 1 this year and that customers should renew their road tax online using the MyJPJ app.
“The (road tax) sticker is still being issued. Several branches ran out of stock and put up a notice on the non-availability of physical road tax, but it is not a policy decision. We took quick action on finding out that branches have run out of stock and will continue to order new stocks,” he told a press conference earlier today.
The ministry has yet to set a cut-off date for the complete transition to digital road tax, and vehicle owners can continue using the physical sticker.
“But there will come a time when we will transform to fully digital. No decision has been made yet; it would take six months to one year before going fully digital,” Loke said.
According to JPJ, only 30 per cent of vehicle owners have opted for the digital road tax.
The minister previously announced that private vehicle owners no longer need to display the road tax on their vehicles beginning February 10, 2023, and can opt for the digital mode.
This digitalisation can reduce congestion at JPJ offices and counters by up to 80 per cent and helps the department save up to RM96 million a year in terms of sticker and card costs.
An average of 1.5 million vehicles need to renew their road tax every month.
When asked about the planned closure of several routes in Kuala Lumpur beginning on Saturday (August 5), Loke said he has given his views to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that this decision should be reviewed, as it could cause more congestion in the affected areas.
Although the matter is under the jurisdiction of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and not his ministry, he feels there should be proper planning and engagements with the public before the road closures were decided upon.
DBKL had announced that Jalan Sungai Besi towards Sungai Besi or Petaling Jaya (in front of Fraser Business Park) and the Loke Yew Roundabout will be closed for a year until August 4, 2024, to enable renovation works and construction of a bridge at the roundabout.
Commenting on the incident of a woman being molested on the Maluri LRT station platform in Kuala Lumpur on Friday (July 28), Loke said the male suspect has been arrested by police after receiving treatment at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
Prasarana Malaysia Bhd had been directed to step up security at LRT stations.
According to media reports, the woman was suddenly grabbed by a stranger, before members of the public went to her aid.
— Bernama
