E-scooters and mopeds banned on Malaysian roads, says transport ministry – bicycles exempt from ruling – paultan.org

The ministry of transport has said that certain micro-mobility vehicles are banned from being used on roads. As reported by The Star and FMT, transport minister Wee Ka Siong said this ban had been gazetted under the Road Traffic (Prohibition of Use of Certain Microbility Vehicles) Rules 2021 and had been in effect since December 17, 2021.

According to the ministry, micro-mobility vehicles refer to those powered by electricity, an internal combustion engine, or human power, or human power combined with any of the previously mentioned two, with a maximum speed of 50 km/h. “We want to enforce this because more and more micromobility vehicles are being used on the road of late. This can pose a danger not just to the users but also to other road users,” Wee said.

The ban covers mopeds, personal mobility aids (i.e. motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters) and personal mobility devices (i.e. e-scooters, hoverboards, skateboards, kick scooters). “The public can use these devices. But they cannot use it on public roads where these vehicles will mix with other motor vehicles and put everyone at risk,” Wee clarified.

While bicycles are also considered a type of micro-mobility vehicle, Wee explained that these were not prohibited from roads, although riders must still comply with existing rules under the Road Transport Act and Road Traffic Rules like not cycling on highways.

On a related note, electric bicycles fall under the same rules applied to regular bikes, but these vehicles must comply with standards department’s requirements. “The main characteristic of electric bicycles that differentiates it from mopeds is the lack of throttle, with pedals that are permanently attached to the vehicle,” Wee said.

He added that the police and road transport department (JPJ) would enforce the ban and those found breaching the law can be prosecuted under the Road Transport Act. “All relevant authorities, including local authorities, are urged to monitor the use of micro-mobility vehicles in their respective areas of jurisdiction,” he said.

“Local authorities may construct road infrastructure that supports the safe use of micro-mobility vehicles, such as bicycle lanes, that will not be mixed with existing traffic flow,” he added.

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