The ministry of transport does not gain from funding initiatives derived from the proceeds of vehicle license plate sales, and instead goes to the federal consolidated fund, said transport minister Anthony Loke, Bernama reported.
Total revenue from sales of number plates last year reached RM311.8 million, and this sum included the proceeds of sales of special registration numbers (NPI), which came to RM21 million, the transport minister said. The sale of special registration numbers began in 2019, and bidding offers started in 2023, with the M_M plate series, Loke added.
“However for the year 2024, as announced by the prime minister during the presentation of the 2024 Budget, a portino of NPI sales will be allocated to the less privileged,” Loke said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today, in response to Kuala Kangsar member of parliament Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid.
A portion of the proceeds from NPI sales was allocated to covering driving test fees for B2-class motorcycle, e-hailing and taxi licenses, and in doing so has benefited more than 40,000 underprivileged youths, Loke said. Some 100,000 helmets, including children’s helmets were distributed free of charge to financially disadvantaged families, he added.
The recently-introduced GOLD series of license plates has collected RM17 million in revenue so far, the transport minister stated.
“As mentioned earlier, the GOLD 1 [number plate] was bid by His Majesty the King of Malaysia for RM1.5 million, contributing to government revenue. Half of these proceeds were returned to the ministry of transport for the implementation of initiatives as stated,” Loke continued.
The transport minister also urged the public to only bid for number plates through the road transport department (JPJ), and cautioned against buying from third-party sources to avoid falling prey to fraud.
“If you intend to bid, use the government’s JPJ e-bidding system, [and] avoid third-party channels. Raising awareness is vital as we aim ro the revenue to contribute to government funds, enabling us to implement more initiatives to assist the people,” the transport minister said.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.