Motorists who ignore licence bans could face three-year prison term, says deputy transport minister

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Motorists who continue driving despite having their licences suspended or revoked by the court could face up to three years in prison under the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2026.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said the amendment to Section 32 of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) was aimed at increasing the existing penalties to encourage compliance with the law and reduce the risk of road accidents.

He said the amendment would increase the maximum jail term from one year to three years, while the fine would be raised to between RM3,000 and RM10,000.

“Disqualification refers to a situation where a person is prohibited from driving because their driving licence has been suspended or revoked, or they have been barred by the court from holding or obtaining a driving licence,” he said while delivering the second reading of the bill in the Dewan Negara today.

Meanwhile, Hasbi said the bill also introduces stricter registration requirements for electric vehicles (EVs) through amendments to Section 10 of the Act, taking into account the absence of engine numbers in EVs compared with conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

“For electric motor vehicles, the amendment clarifies that such vehicles must have a clear, visible and untampered electric motor vehicle serial number and chassis number,” he said.

He said amendments to Section 17 would empower the Road Transport Department (JPJ) director to refuse to issue a motor vehicle licence if vehicle identification details, such as the chassis number or EV serial number, are damaged, unclear or believed to have been tampered with, to prevent fraud and cloned vehicles. — Bernama