Proposal to help students get bike licence welcomed

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Education Ministry welcomes a proposal by the Transport Ministry to create a mechanism to help high school students own a motorcycle licence.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the motorcycle was a necessity for high school students, especially those aged 16 and 17, as it was a flexible mode of transport.

“The proposal by the Transport Ministry is very timely, because we want students to have valid licence in accordance with the law.

“I have also instructed the school management division director to meet up with the Road Transport Department and the police to examine this proposal, and discuss the appropriate mechanisms for implementation,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the Parent-Teacher

The proposal by the Transport Ministry is very timely, because we want students to have valid licence in accordance with the law. — Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Education Minister

Association meeting at SMK Tengku Bariah here yesterday.

Also present were State Education, Science, Technology and Special Duties Committee chairman Ghazali Taib and State Education Department director Shafruddin Ali Hussin.

Elaborating, Mahdzir said he had visited a school last week and found that nearly 700 students used motorcycles to come to school as their homes were located some distance away.

“The (school) principal said there was no other choice of transport for them but it was definite that some of them (700 students) did not have a licence.

“The ministry hopes the licence procedure for students of this school will be implemented as soon as possible for the benefit of all parties,” he said.

On the state government’s move to have a matriculation college set up in Terengganu, Mahdzir said it was still under discussion.

“In principle, the ministry has approved the application for a matriculation college to be operational before the end of this year, at its temporary campus in Bandar Baru Ajil,” he said. — Bernama