Some foreigners marry elderly Malaysian women to register vehicles, says RTD

PUTRAJAYA: According to the Road Transport Department (RTD), foreigners are resorting to a new tactic to register vehicles in the names of elderly Malaysian women, including widows and single mothers. This practice is aimed at evading stricter enforcement against foreign drivers. RTD senior enforcement director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan revealed that investigations showed some foreigners were targeting Malaysian women aged 60 and above for this purpose, promising marriage in exchange for their names to be used for vehicle registration.

Kifli emphasized that these foreigners were adopting this strategy as a response to intensified enforcement operations since July. He warned that these actions were dangerous and advised Malaysians to be cautious about allowing their personal details to be exploited for vehicle ownership. Since July, the RTD has been implementing stricter enforcement measures under Op Pewa, which could result in summonses, vehicle seizures, and court trials for both the driver and the vehicle owner.

In 2024 alone, the RTD issued 183,300 summonses, followed by 191,676 in 2023 and 148,059 so far this year. Kifli urged Malaysians to cooperate in preventing foreign drivers from operating on their roads by not renting out their vehicles or allowing them to be used by unauthorized individuals.