Automatic Transmission Driving Licence Implemented in May, 2012

05 January 2012 - Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri annouce that the automatic transmission driving licence will be implemented nationwide in May after the driving curriculum is revised. He said the new driving curriculum would enable learner drivers to learn to drive and take a test in an automatic car.

"The ministry is not in a hurry to implement the automatic car driving test to be fair to driving school operators. "We need to give them time as they have to replace manual cars with automatic cars and this is costly," he told Bernama.

He said, despite the introduction of the automatic transmission driving licence, learner drivers could choose to learn and take a test either in a manual or an automatic car. Abdul Rahim said that more people, especially older learners and women, would prefer to drive in a car with automatic gears as it was easier.

On the new driving curriculum, Abdul Rahim said it would focus on producing discerning and disciplined motorists to help reduce fatal accidents as human factors were the root cause behind 60 to 70 percent of the accidents. "Previously, our curriculum emphasised driving skills and knowledge of the highway code, but now we want to churn out considerate motorists," he said.

On the demerit system known as 'Kejara', he said there was no proposal to replace the system as it was still relevant and used in many countries where drivers who achieved 15 demerit points the first time would have their license suspended for six months.

Source: The Star

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