REFUSING to renew a person’s driving licence simply based on age is discriminatory, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said today. 

He said any decision to refuse a person aged 70 and above a driving licence must be done through thorough, inclusive and collective discussions with all stakeholders. 

“Simply refusing a driver the means to drive on the basis of their age and based on isolated or anecdotal evidence is discriminatory,” he said in a video clip posted on his Facebook page.

“Any related policy change to the driving licence and road tax must be handled with a systematic evidence-based approach and treated with foresight. 

“Those safety issues relating to ageing drivers are faced by a majority of jurisdictions worldwide. Withdrawing or limiting a valid licence to any individual based on their age should be a last resort after transparently finding the person’s fitness to drive with a recognised test.”  

Wee said by refusing elderly drivers a licence, it will affect their mobility to get around.

“As the driving licence covers both cars and motorcycles, restricting it based on age alone will also lead many individuals that rely on motorcycles, including those in rural areas, without any mode of personal transport,” he said. 

Many drivers who are above 70 also show greater competency than their younger counterparts, he said.

If at any point a driver feels that he is no longer fit to drive, the Road Transport Act 1987 allows for voluntary surrender of his license, he said.

Meanwhile, former transport minister and Seremban MP Anthony Loke said any policy changes with regard to road safety must be studied by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) before any decisions are made.

He agreed with Wee that it is discriminatory to target selected groups of people.

“The condition to impose stricter rules on senior citizens must be discussed as it could be perceived as a type of discrimination towards older drivers,” he said.

Loke said statistics also show that younger drivers contribute to more road accidents compared with senior citizens. 

“I hope Miros will conduct an in-depth research into this matter before any policy changes are made,” he said. 

Earlier today, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said police have not decided on whether to impose new conditions for driving licence renewals for those aged 70 and above.

He said the suggestion made by Bukit Aman traffic investigation and enforcement department director Azisman Alias has not been thoroughly discussed. 

In a press conference yesterday, Azisman said new conditions could be imposed on the renewal of driving licences of those aged 70 and over. 

The conditions, he said, include limiting the length of renewal and requiring that the holders undergo a basic medical examination.

Stating his reason, Azisman said advanced age could lead to both physical and mental deterioration – such as impaired sight and Alzheimer’s disease – which could make it dangerous to continue operating a vehicle. – September 25, 2021.