The Malaysian government has abolished for motorcycle toll collection at three locations.
The move is the first step toward full abolishment of toll charges in the country. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the government could not eradicate all toll payments at the moment due to the large debt accrued by the previous administration. Stopping toll charges would mean the government has to pay the highway concessionaires in order to subsidize the Rakyat’s toll payments.
“Abolishing motorcycle tolls at Penang’s First and Second Bridges together with the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link in Johor is the first step to completely abolish tolls,” said Guan Eng.
Singapore will also scrap toll payment for motorcycles on the Republic’s end from 21stJanuary.
Deputy Works Minister Mohd. Anuar Tahir officiated the removal of toll collection at the Tuas checkpoint. He said that Malaysian motorcyclists will save between RM 24.20 to RM 66.00 per month.
He also reiterated the current administration’s pledge in stopping all toll payments.
The Minister also spoke about fuel prices. While there was no cap (maximum price) before, RON 95 is now capped at RM 2.20 per litre, and diesel at RM 2.18 per litre. New retail prices will be in effect from 1stJanuary 2019 onwards.
The ‘sambung bayar’ practise is quite a regular thing among Malaysian motorist. Sambung bayar literally translates to “Continue Payment” in English, and this happens when a person is no longer able to pay his car or motorcycle loan, and somebody else steps up to continue payment for the loan while the car or bike remains in the original owners name.
This is risky business for the original owner as the person who continues his payment may just up and leave with the owner’s car or motorcycle. This has caused the number of individuals black listed by financial institutions to rise. So the standard practise is for the owner to take a deposit for the car or bike.
This has been happening for a while now, and the owner of the vehicle sometimes prefers the ‘sambung bayar’ method as he does not need to find someone to buy over his vehicle, which will take time while the owner continues to service the monthly payments.
It is so popular that there are entire Facebook pages dedicated to it, you can click here to view a page on cars available for sambung bayar, or click here for a page on sambung bayar motorcycles.
Well, the good days for those who practise sambung bayar are about to come to an end.
In an article published by Malaysian daily Berita Harian, it was reported that vehicle owners who give their vehicles away to a third party to service their loans without approval will be fined or jailed.
In a reply to a question posed by a member of parliament, the Malaysian Home Ministry has clarified that such practices is against the Hire-Purchase Act of 1967. In a statement issued to the House of Commons (Dewan Rakyat), it was stated that “Action can be taken against owners who pawn their vehicles or ‘sambung bayar’ to third parties without the bank’s knowledge and approval.”
The law is explicit – Section 38 of the Hire Purchase Act states that an owner who sells or leases their vehicle while the hire purchase agreement is in force can be sentenced to a RM3,000 fine or three years jail, or both, if found guilty.
So if you are currently riding or driving a vehicle that belongs to someone else while you pay the monthly installments or if you have let someone else service your loan for you, it will be a good time to return the vehicle as more stringent enforcement is on the way.
Read the original article by Berita Harian.
Harley-Davidson Asia’s dealer agreement with Naza Prestige Bikes Sdn. Bhd. has come to an end. Naza Prestige Bikes currently operates Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur, Harley-Davidson of Penang and Harley-Davidson of Johor Bharu dealerships.
The bombshell news comes in light of Harley-Davidson’s objective to increase its international business by another 50 percent of its current annual volume. The Motor Company will now embark on the quest of searching for a new Malaysian partner with immediate effect.
“We would like to thank Naza Prestige Bikes Sdn Bhd for close to a decade of partnership in Malaysia operating Harley-Davidson dealerships and building up a loyal customer base,” said Peter Mackenzie, managing director of Harley-Davidson in Greater China, India and Asia Emerging Markets.
The announcement in Harley-Davidson’s Facebook page added: “We’re working towards a seamless transition to continue bringing exciting motorcycles, parts and accessories, as well as apparel to you in Malaysia.”
“We are grateful for your support and are here to stay. If you have any questions, please drop us a message or email us at AEMenquiries@harley-davidson.com. Stay tuned for updates.”
It will be interesting to see who will pick up the ball and how this news will affect the Harley Owners Group (HOG) Malaysia, besides the owners of officially sold Harleys and parallel-imported Harleys.
The announcement has not been reflected in Naza Pretige Bike’s dealership Facebook pages. Owners are already beginning to enquire about their warranty status and five-year free service package. Hope to see some definitive answers soon.
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