MUKAH: A total of 942 residents in Dalat breathed a sigh of relief as they can ride motorcycles during Aidilfitri next month without the fear of being summoned for not having a valid driver’s licence.
The licences were presented to them under the Class B2 Driving Licence Assistance (MyLesen) programme run by the Sarawak Road Transport Department (JPJ) for the Dalat constituency, during its closing ceremony officiated by the Minister of Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah at the Dalat Unity Stadium today.
“A total of 738 participants who followed this programme are from Dalat/Oya while the rest are from Mukah, Igan and Matu/Daro,“ said Sarawak JPJ director Norizan Jili.
According to Norizan, 10 percent of the total participants in the programme were senior citizens who had been riding motorcycles without a licence for between 30 and 40 years, while the majority were youths as young as 17.
He said among the factors contributing to their delay in obtaining licences through driving institutes were the high costs, which ranged between RM600 and RM700 for Class B2.
“But we are grateful because with the MyLesen programme, after 40 years they (seniors) finally got a driver’s licence. This programme is offered with a special discount so that the cost is only RM250,“ he said, while reminding the participants to be responsible on the road.
