Parents unwilling to pay for children’s motorcycle licence, says Road Safety Dept director

MIRI: Many parents are still reluctant to let their children apply for a motorcycle licence even though they (children) are already riding motorcycles to schools.

According to Road Safety Department ( JKJR) director Davina Agnes Entili, the Road Transport Department ( JPJ) was ready to come to schools and conduct lessons and test to enable the students to obtain a valid licence.

“There is no problem for JPJ to come and conduct the lessons and test for the licence in schools, but unfortunately parents are still reluctant to even provide the money for their children to obtain the licence,” she said.

The idea for JPJ lessons and test to be held in schools was mooted by Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety, Datuk Lee Kim Shin a couple of years back. This was to make it easier for the students to obtain the licence, instead of waiting for them to go over to JPJ.

“We started the plan in 2015 and we approached a school to encourage parents to allow their children to take the licence before they actually ride the motorcycles to school. Unfortunately, the parents were reluctant,” Davina told reporters after the launching of #Shell Sela mat Sam pa i–Sarawak Chapter at Curtin University here yesterday.

Lee and Sarawak Shell Berhad general manager Jill Cheng were among those present.

“The responsibility is actually on the shoulders of parents. If parents agree and are willing to pay for their children to get a licence, there is no reason for JPJ not to come and conduct the test in schools,” said Davina.

She added that JKJR would try the approach again this year, as the fee to obtain a motorcycle licence had been reduced last year.

“Last year, JPJ through the MyLesen programme had reduced the amount from RM350 to RM299, so we hope to try again this year,” she said.