Licence to Drive – and to Subsidy (of “killing machines”?)

Licence to Drive – and to Subsidy (of “killing machines”?)

4 Oct 2025 • 8:00 AM MYT



Mihar Dias
A behaviourist by training, a consultant and executive coach by profession

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/09/26/vehicles-are-killing-machines-licences-a-must-says-expert

By Mihar Dias, September 2025


Finally, a policy that doesn’t make you scratch your head in despair. The government now requires an active driving licence to qualify for the BUDI95 subsidy — and suddenly, the usual suspects are crying foul.


Apparently, some Malaysians think rules are like Milo ais: you can stir them any way you like.


But it’s really simple: no licence, no subsidy. If you’re not supposed to be on the road, you shouldn’t be at the pump. End of story.


Experts call cars and motorbikes “killing machines.” Not “toys,” not “lifestyle accessories” — killing machines. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/09/26/vehicles-are-killing-machines-licences-a-must-says-expert


Obviously, if you don’t have a valid licence, you’ve basically admitted you’re unfit to handle one.


Why then should taxpayers happily sponsor your petrol while you endanger everyone else? That’s like subsidising cigarettes for chain-smokers and then acting shocked when the hospital bill arrives.


Take my wife. She’s held a licence for thirty years but has never actually driven. She’s never filled a tank either — she considers petrol stations dirty, smelly, and scary. (She’s not wrong about the toilets; those are certified biohazard zones.)


Now the new rule says: if the car is in her name, she has to step out, show her IC, and claim the subsidy. Her response? A very elegant “No, thank you.” Why risk germs and the trauma of public toilets just to shave 0.6 sen off a litre? The Dettol spray alone costs more.


Now, here’s the punchline: without subsidy, our weekly fuel bill is less than RM50. So what exactly are people howling about? That tiny discount is more “token souvenir” than “lifeline.”


Let’s face it: if you hardly drive, or worse, don’t even have a licence, you’re not in desperate need of subsidised fuel.


A licence isn’t just a laminated piece of plastic — it’s proof you earned the right to be on the road. If you haven’t, you also haven’t earned the right to taxpayer-funded petrol.


So yes, the rule is fair. In fact, it’s so obvious it’s embarrassing it took this long. But this is Malaysia — where even common sense needs a press conference, a protest, and a petition before it can pass.