KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police has called for driving licence issuance to senior citizens to be restricted.
The proposal from the men in blue is to reduce the number of accidents on Malaysian roads.
Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Datuk Azisman Alias said the health condition of a motorist was a factor which contributed to accidents.
He said diseases such as Alzheimer's and eye problems are among the health issues faced by elderly motorists.
"Indirectly, it can cause accidents on the road and there have been previous cases of a senior citizen driving a vehicle by entering a motorcycle lane," he said in a special press conference in Bukit Aman here today.
According to him, senior citizens also need to undergo a doctor's examination and get a letter confirming that they are fit to drive.
"The government needs to study issuing driving licences to the elderly.
"If a 70-year-old senior citizen renews LKM (license) for a five-year period, it is not suitable at all because of the age factor," he said.
In a related development, he also suggested to the government to issue a policy for low-powered motorcycles to have a low noise emission.
He said the policy was needed because the average low-powered motorcycle was modified to make a lot of noise and did not follow the set specifications.