JPJ: You Can Get Fined For Wrapping Your Car With Decorative Lights

Did this 'lit-up' Volkswagen sedan pop-up in your social media feed recently? Well, JPJ has just issued a stern reminder to motorists from doing this.

As the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive holidays loom closer, it’s only natural for many Malaysians to get into said holiday’s festive mood int he days leading up to which. However, some are perhaps taking the festivities a little too far, especially with decorating their cars.

Recently, a local woman went viral after posting through her social media of her efforts at wrapping her Volkswagen Polo Sedan/Vento fully with Hari Raya-themed decorative LED lights. This is perhaps a local rendition of a similar overseas trend that went viral over the recent Christmas holidays - like this one.

The woman said it took roughly six hours to wrap her car with these festive decorative lights that are more often used by others to decorate their homes with during the festive season. She even claims to have driven through parts of Kuala Lumpur’s city centre with all these lights on too.

Worryingly, the woman even claimed in the post that she had bumped into police several times while driving in Bukit Bintang but did not get fined. "I got a thumbs up instead,” she added further, but that really shouldn’t have been the case.

In response, Road Transport Department ( JPJ) public relations officer Mohd Syahmi Abdul Latif has clarified that it is on offence to decorate one's car with decorative lights.

JPJ clarifies that decorating your car with festive lights as pictured in indeed an offence, and motorists caught doing so will face a fine too.

“Even though the intention is to celebrate Ramadan, the owner of the vehicle will be cautioned to restore the vehicle to its original state or be fined,” said Syahmi to local daily NST when asked about the viral posting.

“In any case, the decision rests with the officer in charge. For this type of offence, a fine is typically issued for between RM100 and RM200," adds Syahmi.

Following which, the woman has stated on her social media channels that she has since removed the decorative lights from the car, but she also said that there’s a possibility that she will decorate it again. However, with JPJ’s recent warning, perhaps it would be wise for her to reconsider…