KUALA LUMPUR: No decision has been made on a proposal to raise the minimum age for obtaining a motorcycle licence from 16 to 18, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.
He said the proposal, put forward by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), required careful consideration as it could have both positive and negative implications.
“If we raise the minimum age for a motorcycle licence, secondary school students would no longer be eligible to obtain one, which could lead to more people riding motorcycles without licences,” he said at a press conference after the launch of Transport Export Asia 2026 (TXA 2026) here today.
Loke said underage riding was already a concern, with some children aged 13 and 14 riding motorcycles despite the current minimum licensing age of 16.
“This is not an easy issue, and it requires serious consideration. For now, no decision has been made on changing the minimum age for a motorcycle licence,” he said.
Yesterday, MIROS chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon proposed raising the minimum age for obtaining a motorcycle licence from 16 to 18 to curb illegal street racing involving minors.
He said underage motorcycling required serious attention, noting that children as young as 12 were already riding motorcycles without licences.