KUALA LUMPUR: Under the current Transport Ministry policy, people with disabilities (PWD) in hearing and/or speech are not prevented from applying for a PSV e-Hailing vocational licence with health certification, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said: "Under Section 30 of the Road Transport Act 1987, an applicant is required to state whether or not they suffer from any disease or physical disability that may cause their driving to be a source of harm to others.
"The current policy does not prevent people with disabilities in hearing and/or speech, who hold a PWD card from the Social Welfare Department and have a Class D/DA Driving Licence (LMM), from applying for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) e-Hailing vocational licence with health certification from an authorised medical practitioner."
He was replying to a query from Wong Chen (PH-Subang) on regulations that allowed PWD drivers with an A/A1 licence to operate as e-hailing drivers, as well as the government's plans to amend the guidelines so that they could have a PSV vocational licence.
However, he also said the current PSV driver licensing policy permits only LMM holders to apply for a PSV e-hailing vocational licence, and that LMM holders were not eligible to apply for a vocational licence for any class.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, in replying to supplementary questions on the issue, said: "PWD drivers, particularly those who are deaf, are already allowed to drive. Many deaf drivers have also been granted approval."
To a follow-up question from Wong Chen on the recent assault on a PWD driver by a member of the Johor royal associates. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the case was under police investigation.