PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) participants and Malaysians with foreign driving licences will be given special consideration and may not have to take a test to convert their licences to a local one.
However, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said they had to meet certain criteria first before their applications could be considered.
One of the requirements is they must have a valid foreign driving licence.
"This does not apply to foreign driving learner permits or probationary licences. A valid foreign driving licence will initially be changed to Malaysia's P-licence (probationary) and they must comply with the same rules and regulations observed by Malaysians with P-licences.
"This is necessary as countries will have different driving rules and cultures, especially those who are used to left-hand drives," said Loke before chairing the post-Cabinet meeting, here, today.
MM2H participants and Malaysians with foreign driving licences will hold the P-licence for two years.
If MM2H participants are no longer in the programme or breach any of the requirements or found to have flouted traffic laws, their licences would be revoked.
For those with driving licences from countries not signatories to any treaty or agreement with Malaysia including the Convention on Road Traffic Geneva 1949 and the Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences issued by Asean Countries 1985, Kuala Lumpur, Loke said they had to go through the traffic laws and theory test.
"This is necessary as we have to make sure they understand the laws and road regulations in Malaysia, which may differ from other countries."
Loke also said the details on how one could change their foreign driving licence would be announced by the Road Transport Department, and that the government aimed to implement it as early as November.