Anthony Loke Siew Fook – Bernama file photo
PUTRAJAYA: The AH code for private e-hailing vehicles will be registered automatically in the mySIKAP system and the owners and e-hailing drivers need not go to the Road Transport Department (RTD) office to do do, said Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
He said the AH code would also not appear in the vehicles’ grants, as such the owners need not worry about selling their cars in the future.
‘’The implementation of the AH code is only administratively, in the mySIKAP system to identify that the vehicles are being used for e-hailing,’’ he told a media conference here today.
He said this when commenting on the anxieties raised by the Malaysian e-Hailing Drivers Association (MeHDA) which claimed that RTD had decided that the vehicles’ code be changed to AH and they must have a copy of the e-hailing vehicle permits (eVP) with them, before the enforcement period this Saturday (Oct 12).
Loke said it was also not compulsory for e-hailing drivers and operators to print out the eVP information.
“Printing it out is just to facilitate them but we also do not make it mandatory. Their eVP numbers are already in the mySIKAP system. Sometimes, this eases things when conducting the Puspakom inspection and enforcement. Easy for them, just show,’’ he said.
Loke said e-hailing drivers who had passed the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence test could immediately drive despite not getting their actual PSV cards.
‘’They can immediately go to the RTD portal and print it out, showing they have passed despite not getting the card physically and can straightaway drive. They can just print it out at home,” he said.
To date, he said 69,053 people had passed their PSV tests.
Loke said the explanation on the confusion concerning the e-hailing issue showed that the government was firm in the implementation of enforcements for the e-hailing service from Saturday.
‘’No U-turns and new policies. The enforcement will start on Oct 12, we will continue this plan. But it does not mean that the moment we start, we will immediately go and inspect every car..no…we carry out enforcement gradually,’’ he said.
On health examinations as a condition to apply for PSV, Loke said the new JPJL8A form must be used from Oct 1 as an official document in the application procedure or renewal of the Vocational Licence.
‘’There is a RM80 maximum charge mentioned in the old form. It is actually the ceiling rate but we found that clinics took advantage by charging the maximum RM80 whilst prior to this some clinics only imposed a RM40 charge resulting in RTD being blamed by certain quarters, whereas it was fixed by the Ministry of health (MOH).
‘’As a result, we took out the RM80 in the new forms to prevent the public from blaming RTD and avoiding abuse by the clinics,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Loke said he had also approved the applications of 57 handicapped people for PSV licences.
‘’Although MOH in its comments did not approve their applications, but I have approved them through the Public Service Vehicles (Licensing and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors and Passengers) Rules 1959 under the authority of the Ministry of Transport.
‘’They are handicapped under the hearing problem category and are existing e-hailing drivers,’’ he added. – Bernama