Transport Ministry to study police's e-plate proposal

However, acting minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today cautioned that the system must be studied thoroughly in all aspects.

“We will study it, in the context of affordability, whether it can satisfy the requirements... not only for the police to reduce crime and so on, but also on can meet the needs and wants of the public,” said Hishammuddin here. The idea for such an e-plate system was first publicly announced sometime in December 2006.

All vehicles in Malaysia with supposed to be fitted number plates with RFID microchips that can be scanned.

The chips would store information on the driver and vehicle.

However, the system did not take off due to various reasons, including public outcry over the costs on motorists. Ostensibly taking these into account, Hishammuddin said that there was a need to “balance public interest and the bigger interest”.

“We need to study all parties, it goes through ministry… but we want to make sure the objective not only meets the target, but meet the needs of all.”

Asked about the initial proposal in 2006, Hishammuddin expressed that he was not fully aware of the history of the system.

”It is a proposal coming from the police. The Inspector-General of Police [IGP] will forward it to my ministry. I will have to look at it.

"I don’t know [what happened in 2006], I have just been here for four weeks,' he admitted.

Yesterday, IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that he expected criminals to have a "hard time" once the e-plate is reintroduced.

"I think this is the right time to reintroduce the e-plate system.This system will give a hard time to the criminals -- who steal vehicles or who commit crimes via stolen vehicles," said Khalid.