Digital Driving Licence Only Valid In Malaysia - Loke

According to Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook, digital versions of driving licences are only valid in Malaysia and may not be recognised by authorities in other countries.

This comes after a viral video of two Malaysians being issued traffic summonses in Thailand for failing to provide Thai authorities with a physical copy of their driver's licence. Loke told Bernama that the digital licences are subject to the laws of other countries because the ministry has no control over how other countries enforce their laws.

"We are still issuing physical copies of driver's licences." So, if they want to drive in a country that requires a physical licence, they can apply for it when renewing their licence at the road transport department's (JPJ) counters', he explained.

Malaysians have been able to obtain a digital version of their driving licence through the MyJPJ app since February, though the government has not completely phased out physical copies.

As part of the transport ministry's efforts to digitise JPJ's services, private vehicles owned by Malaysians are no longer required to display motor vehicle licences, also known as road tax discs.

Meanwhile, Loke stated that the online payment system for renewing one's road tax and driving licence on the MyJPJ app will be available in a few months after the proof of concept is completed.

The minister stated that this is to ensure that the system launches smoothly and that the app does not crash due to a high volume of users.