Bidding for special number plates to go online next year

BIDS for special number plates will be done online beginning next year to make the process more convenient as well as to ensure better transparency, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said the public would no longer need to visit the Road Transport Department (JPJ) counters to submit bidding forms.

“The system will also enable bidders to see bids made by others so that they may increase their bids.

“They can also see who won the bids,” he said in reply to Ma’mun Sulaiman (PH-Kalabakan) who asked the ministry to state if JPJ could set up a more transparent system for the registration of new vehicle number plates.

Ma’mun also wanted to know whether the ministry intended to set a ceiling price for special number plates that were high in demand.

Loke said the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) was assisting the ministry in developing the system.

He also said the ministry had no plans put a cap on the prices for the special number plates as it was awarded to the highest bidder through a transparent manner.

“If a ceiling price is set, it contradicts the principles of an open tender.

“I believe the bidding could add to the government’s revenues.

“For example, when Pakatan Harapan took over and introduced the Malaysia number plate series, it managed to generate RM1.11mil,” he said.

Loke added that under the previous government, the requests for special number plates were made by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and once approved, they would pay the government RM1mil but the number plates they sold could generate more than RM10mil.