Review the need for automatic motorcycle licence upgrade

SHAH ALAM – Chats about the automatic upgrade from a B2 motorcycle licence to a full B has taken centre stage among Malaysians at the coffee shop and eateries, especially the youths.

Looking at their faces and gestures, they must have just left school, most probably Malaysian Education Certificate (SPM) graduates who were eligible to have a motorcycle licence.

There were also adults who were figuring out whether they wanted to be B license holders or remain faithful to B2 motorcycle licence while dreaming of owning a a machine with over 250cc.

Generally, there were three categories of motorcycle licence in Malaysia namely B2 for motorcycles with an engine capacity of less than 250cc while B licence allows the holder to ride any motorcycle with no engine capacity limit including two-wheelers with a power of 1,800cc.

Once upon a time, there was a B1 licence for motorcycles not exceeding 500cc, but now, it was no longer practical and most driving schools only offer B2 and B licences for the public.

The motorcycle licence issue heated up when Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposed an automatic upgrade of B2 to B class motorcycle licence.

He said that it was a recognition of the biker gang' as well as a review of the import duty of high-powered motorcycles both of which had been brought to the relevant ministries for scrutiny.

However, upgrading a B2 to B licence has both pros and cons when viewed holistically.

The main advantage would be felt by B2 licence holders who aspired to own high-powered vehicles and the other party was certainly motorcycle manufacturers or distributors.

In this country, the B2 licence limit leaves motorcycle manufacturers with little choice, but to satisfy the domestic market with less attractive mopeds - lacking or almost no advanced two-wheel safety features such as anti-lock braking system (ABS), traction control and others.

All the advanced technology of the motorcycle was only available on models with larger engine capacity, but they had gained less attention as owners had to own a B licence besides the high import duty making the price equal to a B-segment car.

The latest models produced by Modenas, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, Kawasaki, BMW and Honda had entry-level and mid-powered motorcycles of 250cc and above with almost perfect safety and stability features.

It was certain that the sales of models such as Dominar D400, Duke 390, SR Max 300, J300 and Forza 300, G310R and C400 GT were quite slow or not reaching the target even though the specifications and safety levels offered were higher and the best in its class compared to mopeds.

Even the Yamaha X-Max scooter sold in Malaysia only has a capacity of 250cc while the same model in neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines was offered with a 300cc engine as a standard feature which was actually quite disappointing.

The opinion of former experienced Cub Prix racer Wazi Abdul Hamid who wished for the relevant parties to examine and evaluate the propriety of upgrading B2 licence holders to B was indeed correct.

According to him, B2 licence riders needed to have five years of motorcycle riding experience and undergo an assessment test before being eligible for an upgrade to class B.

The veteran rider who was also a professional motorcycle instructor agreed that reckless approval could pose a risk of danger to riders and other road users.

Based on a study by the Malaysian Road Safety Institute from January to September 2022, motorcycle users recorded the highest number of accidents with 2,916 deaths or 66.6 per cent followed by cars (776), pedestrians (233), lorries (139), vans (95), four-wheel drives (94), bicycles (79), other vehicles (29) and buses (17).

Even more saddening, 45 per cent of motorcyclist deaths involved victims between the ages of 16 and 29.

The latest data also showed that the number of road users suffering serious injuries rose sharply with 3,406 cases or 92.5 per cent higher than in the same period in 2021.

Therefore, the government needed to refine the matter more carefully. It should be remembered that the majority of motorcyclists in this country were young teenagers who just started working and would definitely harm the country if many were 'killed' on the road due to the wrong choice.

* Mohd Razlan Salleh is a Sinar Harian editor