KOTA KINABALU: Licence applicants should not make any payments to any individual claiming to be an agent or providing registration services for 1Malaysia Licence Assistance (BL1M).
Umno Youth Urban Affairs Secretariat’s (SHEB) chairman, Tengku Azman Tengku Zainol Abidin, issued this advice yesterday after several cases of applicants were alleged to have been cheated by bogus agents in Peninsular Malaysia.
Tengku Azman, who is also Umno Youth Exco member, revealed that 27 incidents where applicants have been cheated of their cash were reported in Kedah last week, just days after BL1M was opened for application online on Jan 14.
“It is regrettable that some irresponsible individuals were taking advantage of this programme to make profit before it can even be officially launched. I hope the media can highlight this so that those planning to apply can be warned and not become victims,” he told reporters after a meeting on BL1M with the Sabah Umno Youth here, yesterday.
He said the incidents were isolated but he expected more of such cases would come to light, as there were likely more victims who have yet to come forward.
“The modus operandi was… they helped the applicants to key in their applications online and collect the RM199 payment for the licence plus another RM100 supposedly for registration service fee.
“The case has not been forwarded to the police yet but we have advised the applicants to contact the so-called agents to get their money back. We don’t want to scare the public away from BL1M but we have to alert them to be careful,” said Tengku Azman.
He stressed that the government has not appointed any individual as an agent for BL1M and that applicants should pay directly to MyeG Services Bhd, not through any middleman or other agencies.
He said the amount need to be paid pay was only RM199, and should be paid only through money order and not cash, adding that no extra payment would be charged for registration or any other services.
“The simplest way to know that it is the real thing and you are not being cheated is that BL1M do not involved any cash transaction, only money order and it is to be paid only to MyeG Srvices Bhd.
“The payment is only RM199, and there is no additional charge of any kind. In some areas, the elected representative may want to sponsor some of the payment, may be RM20 for example, so the applicants may pay even less than RM199 but never more than that,” he said.
BL1M is a programme mooted by SHEB for helping young Malaysians to get their B2 driving licence at a much cheaper rate compared to the normal market price of between RM350 and RM690.
The scheme is opened to all Malaysians aged 17 to 40 who are not blacklisted by the Road Transport Department, with some 300,000 to 500,000 eligible individuals expected to benefit from it.
Apart from the cheaper prices, licence applicants under BL1M would also be entitled to up to three computerized theory examinations without additional charges, should they fail the test.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is expected to launch the programme on January 31.
To a question, Tengku Azman said SHEB aimed to have around 35,000 applicants from Sabah, with 3,876 applications already received so far.
“The response has been very encouraging so far with a large number of applications being received. In fact, (UMNO Youth chief) Khairy has conducted a promotional tour in the past four days and the response was overwhelming. Yesterday alone, about 800 people registered in Temerloh.
“The proper registration period will be just two weeks, from Feb 1 to Feb 14 so we will go all out after the official launching to help as many applicants as possible to register,” he said.
Asked if the programme was part of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) effort to attract the youths, he said the main purpose of BL1M was to ease the financial burden faced by Malaysians, especially those from the lower income group.
He added the programme was also aimed at encouraging the younger generation to abide by the law, particularly the Road Transport Act, by ensuring they do not drive without any licence just because it is too expensive to get one.
“We see this as the root of the problem. In KL, too many youths drive motorcycles without a licence. Politics is one thing but helping the youths is another thing.
“This in line with our concept in BN that politics is for serving the people. The programme is opened to all, regardless of their political preference, whether they are pro BN or not,” he said.