Too taxing: Taking care in peeling the road tax sticker to avoid tearing or cleaning the sticky residue from windshields will soon be a thing of the past. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: The move to do away with the physical road tax for privately-owned vehicles is welcomed by many, though here are some who question its practicality.
The younger generation welcomed the digitalisation, with postgraduate student Muhd Fahmi, 32, saying digitalisation of the road tax along with the driving licence for Malaysians will cut down waiting time at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) as there is no longer need to get the physical copies.
“It is a good step to digitalise, as there is less reason to spend hours in JPJ,” he told The Star.
Ehailing driver Junaidi Annuar, 63, also said the move was commendable as it would reduce hassle for drivers.
“Of course it’s a good move! The physical stickers are so fragile, sometimes I end up accidentally tearing it (while applying it).
“Having a digital one is more convenient,” he said, adding that he would not need to deal with the adhesive stains each time he removed the old sticker from the windshield.
Nadiahtul Azwa, 28, concurred, saying digitalisation leads to all-round convenience, though she is not so hot about having to install another government app on her mobile device.
“I like the idea of not having to stick to the physical road tax anymore. But it also means that we need to install another app on top of many other apps. I hope there will be a way for the government to streamline this,” said Nadhiahtul, who also questioned how the authorities would ensure a vehicle has valid road tax with no physical evidence.
Pensioner YK Bryan, 60, was also sceptical, saying that it could lead to instances of misuse.
“We understand the need for digitalisation, but what if someone purposely doesn’t apply a road tax and is still driving the car?
“How long will it take before the person gets caught, or at least for the authorities to find out about this?
“Even then, what if there are large scale traffic stops following its implementation? What happens to our already congested roads?” he said, adding that the idea was a good start but the government needs to provide more clarity.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced yesterday that private vehicle owners do not need to deal with road tax stickers once they have gotten their digital version of the road tax.
He further said that the digital display of motor vehicle road tax stickers (LKM) and Malaysian driving licences (LMM) will be the solution to the constant complaints of vehicle owners and drivers.
In the comments box of Loke’s Facebook post, netizens shared both positive and negative opinions on the move.
“Awesome work and we’re proud we are systematically moving forward,” Facebook user Bernie Victor said.
