Ministry of Transport: A thorough study is necessary before any decision on the registration of bicycles.

PETALING JAYA: A comprehensive study is needed before a political decision is made on a proposal to require bicycles to be registered and equipped with license plates, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The transport minister said that based on the procedures, any agency under the ministry must produce all studies or proposals for consideration by the ministry’s top management, including the minister’s office, for approval.

“In response to a Utusan Malaysia report that the Ministry of Transportation will supposedly move towards the requirement that bicycles be registered and equipped with license plates, emphasizing that this proposal has never been discussed at the ministerial level.

“We flatly deny that there are any plans to implement such a proposal, nor have I been brought to my attention to any proposal,” Dr. Wee said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (September 16).

He noted that comments made by the Malaysian Road Safety Research Institute (Miros) as reported by Utusan Malaysia it is not policy until due process has been carried out.

He added that all premature political announcements are prohibited without the express approval of the Minister.

On road safety involving bicyclists, Dr. Wee said that the ministry and the Department of Highway Transportation (JPJ) will continue to promote safety advocacy programs with bicyclists and other relevant associations.

“These safety defense programs will also be discussed and updated during the meeting of the Road Safety Council to be held this month,” he said, advising cyclists to adhere to safety and traffic regulations while riding.

Dr. Wee was responding to a report on Utusan Malaysia citing Miros CEO Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim, who said the institute was studying a proposal that required bicycles to be registered and equipped with a license plate due to the growing cycling trend among Malaysians.