The road transport department (JPJ) has announced that it is initiating a request for proposal (RFP) for a special licence plate (RPK, or rekaan plat khas), similar to the RFP exercise it carried out in 2023 ahead of the eventual introduction of the JPJePlate for electric vehicles (EV) nearly a year later.
In an infographic posted yesterday, the department said that the RFP document detailing the requirements will be available from September 10 following a briefing, with the closing date for tender submissions being October 30, by 12pm on the day.
As before, all companies who have enough experience and financial ability (pengalaman serta keupayaan dari aspek kewangan) for the development and operation of special number plates are welcome to submit a proposal that fits the criteria set by JPJ. Likewise, attendance to the special briefing session is compulsory, and companies are responsible for all costs incurred in the preparation and submission of documents.
The plan calls for the design of a special plate meant for users of petrol and diesel (ICE) vehicles and hybrids as well as vehicles utilised for trade and by OKU, with zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) also under that ambit – given that BEVs already have their own plate to identify them, this should cover hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) types.
In any case, it looks like the aim of moving towards standardised plates for all new cars is heading to the next stage, which is to include all powertrain types. Two years ago, during a briefing prior to the launch of the JPJePlate, the transport ministry said the initiative to introduce the new plate was meant to pave the way for the eventual standardisation of licence plates for all new vehicles registered in Malaysia.
Doing so, transport minister Anthony Loke said, would effectively eliminate fancy/non-regulation plates and reduce vehicle cloning opportunities, among other things. He added that Malaysia is among 5% of the countries left using traditional plates globally, and was looking to gradually move away from that.
There are no details yet on the new plate format, but as indicated by the Teksi Madani plate, the overall design will follow the current JPJePlate, which is constructed of aluminium and features embossed black lettering on a white background (full technical details of it in our JPJePlate story), with different font size options. A coloured bar on the left side of the plate (neon green in the case of EVs) serves as an identifier, based on vehicle type and its usage classification.
Rumours suggest that passenger ICE vehicles will have a silver bar (previewed by the Teksi Madani plate, it would seem), diesel a black one, with that for hybrids in yellow, with lettering in black on a white background, like now.
Taxis, rental cars and limousines will follow the same colour format, except with their lettering in red (again, as shown by the Teksi Madani plate). It has been suggested that commercial vehicles will also follow the coloured bar format for powertrains, but have black lettering on a yellow background. Of course, details should emerge in the near future.
You may be wondering if the new RPK will be mandatory for every motor vehicle that has been registered and is still running on the road, but this will not be the case and will only cover registrations of new cars when introduced.
Two years ago, Loke indicated that legacy – as in existing – vehicles will be able to continue using the current plate format, so thet won’t have to change over and fork out extra for it. Also, as before, these plates will not be introduced for motorcycles.
