Government Will Consider Age limit, B2 Licence Ownership Period For Automatic B Licence

Photo: NST Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that before the proposal to automatically upgrade to a B license can be finalized, a number of factors need to be taken into account, including the age limit and the ownership period of B2 motorcycle licenses, NST reported.

This issue will be resolved in-depth meetings with the police's Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Unit and the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the minister confirmed.
“What we discussed earlier is that there is a certain age limit, meaning the applicant must be 35 years and above, and they must hold a B2 licence for a specific period before being eligible for a full B licence. We will finalise this matter in the meetings with JPJ and JSPT,” he said at a press conference after an engagement session with Persatuan Motosikal Malaysia here yesterday.

Ahmad Zahid had suggested in August 2023 that B2 driver's licenses automatically be upgraded to B licenses; this proposal was to be presented to the Transport Ministry for additional review.

JPJ divides motorcycles with displacements under 250 cc into class B and class B, which includes motorbikes with displacements greater than 500 cc.

According to the data, people who recently received a B2 license could behave irresponsibly if they are granted a B license. In addition to having obligations to their families and other commitments, if they are slightly older, they might have more experience, according to transport minister Anthony Loke.

Meanwhile Ahmad Zahid stated that there were 4,480 fatal motorcycle accidents in 2023 as opposed to 4,071 in 2022, a 10% increase in motorcycle rider deaths as a result of traffic accidents.

Additionally, Ahmad Zahid announced that the Cabinet decided to combine the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and the Cabinet Committee on Traffic Congestion into one Cabinet Committee operating under the Ministry of Transportation.
“At the High-Level Committee Meeting on Safety and Traffic Congestion this morning, we also decided to increase the frequency of meetings from once or twice a year to three times a year with the aim of obtaining the latest information on road safety and congestion issues.”