The Budi Madani RON95 (Budi95) subsidy programme, set to begin on September 30 with petrol priced at RM1.99 per litre, may reshape the nation’s road safety culture and spark a long-overdue clean-up of licence and ownership compliance.
Former Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) board member Shahrim Tamrin said the new scheme would likely create ripple effects for road users who have long neglected licence renewals and road tax obligations.
He warned that three groups would face immediate challenges: owners of private vehicles without a driving licence, individuals whose licences have been expired for more than three years, and errant riders or drivers who never sat for a driving test.
“For decades, it has been common for Malaysians without a driving licence to purchase cars or motorcycles, particularly in small towns and plantations where parents buy vehicles for their underaged children,” he said.
This practice, Shahrim added, has contributed to a worrying trend of unlicensed and underaged riders on the road, with police statistics showing thousands of young fatalities from motorcycle crashes over the years.
The Road Transport Department (JPJ) recently reported 2.3 million inactive licence holders nationwide, reflecting widespread public complacency in renewing licences, road tax and insurance.
“With Budi95, those with expired licences will be indirectly forced to re-sit driving tests to qualify for the subsidised fuel price,” said Shahrim.
He added that if the programme is synchronised with JPJ’s database and the upcoming KEJARA system, it could also push road users to settle more than RM500 million in unpaid traffic summonses.
“Budi95 can serve as a head start for the government to eventually introduce new laws requiring proof of a valid licence before anyone can own a motorised vehicle,” he said.
