PUTRAJAYA: Motorists with expired driving licences risk losing access to the government’s targeted RON95 petrol subsidy, Transport Minister Anthony Loke has warned.
He said only Malaysians with valid driving licences – either current or expired for not more than three years – would qualify for the aid, as verified through the Road Transport Department (RTD) system.
“Once it passes three years, the licence is deemed inactive and its holder automatically ineligible for subsidy.
“They would also need to retake the Part II and Part III driving tests,” Loke said at a press conference at the Transport Ministry, here, today.
RTD records show that about 2.4 million competent driving licence (CDL) holders fall into this category, the majority of their licences having lapsed for more than three years.
925,421 motorists from the total, however, still have time to act, as their licences expired less than three years ago.
The breakdown of these cases includes:
*551,688 expired under one year
*219,092 expired between one and two years
*154,641 expired between two and three years
“I urge these 925,000 motorists to renew immediately to avoid complications. Don’t wait until it is too late,” he said.
Loke added that renewals are now seamless and can be completed within minutes via the MyJPJ application, as well as kiosks and counters nationwide.
Since the Finance Ministry announced the new subsidy mechanism on Sept 22, RTD has already recorded 26,191 renewals through digital platforms and service points.
He also reminded motorists that subsidy verification will also be linked directly to their MyKad and driving licence records, with petrol companies integrating the process into their e-wallet systems.
“This makes it seamless — you no longer need to show your physical licence at the pump.
“The system will automatically verify whether you are eligible,” he said.
Loke stressed that the three-year rule was not new, as existing laws already stipulate that licences expired beyond that period are void and require a retest.
“Our priority is to maintain safety on the road while ensuring that the subsidy reaches genuine and responsible road users,” he said.