He stated that some motorists informed him that they must take the theory examination for their motorbike licence and then repeat the process for their car driving licence. “This is unlike some time ago when we could just complete the theory examination once for both licences,” he said. The minister added during a radio interview with 988 FM that he wants to simplify this process in order to lessen people’s burden. He also claimed that this proposal was already put forward when he was previously the Transport Minister in 2018, although he did not give a definitive timeline on when the standardised test will be introduced. The theory exam will have 50 multiple-choice questions with a minimum passing grade of 84% or 42 correct answers. But if you were to obtain both driving licenses at the same time, the exam will have 70 multiple-choice questions with a minimum requirement of 59 correct answers to pass.
Additionally, Loke gave an update on the proposal to extend the maximum validity period of driving licenses, saying that an announcement will be made soon. The extension will allow motorists to renew their license for up to 10 years of validity, doubling the current maximum of five years. With the current price of RM30 per year, it will cost you RM300 to get a 10-year renewal. On a related note for drivers, the government recently revealed that it will end Puspakom’s monopoly on vehicle inspections. Starting from 1 September 2024, other companies will be allowed to offer the service to motorists. (Source: The Star)
