KUALA LUMPUR: A prominent social activitist has called on the police to re-think any restriction on the issuance of driving licenses to senior citizens.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who is 75, said it is unfair to reduce and generalise all senior citizens to unhealthy group of people.
"While I appreciate and commend the police for their vigilance and being proactive on ways to reduce accident cases, I think the authorities should be practical and responsible as well as deliberate comprehensively before implementing such a proposal.
"Not all senior citizens are unhealthy. I am 75, I am still healthy and fit to drive.
"And I know some senior citizens who are in their 80s, but they are still agile as well as fit health-wise and that they are able to drive themselves around," he said.
He was commenting on the proposal by the police, who had called for the issuance of drive licenses to senior citizens to be restricted as one of the ways to reduce number of road accidents.
On Friday, Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Datuk Azisman Alias said the health condition of motorists was one of the factors which contributed to road accident cases.
He had cited a case of a senior citizen who drove his car on a motorcycle lane an example.
"One swallow does not make a summer. That could have been an isolated case," said Lee.
At present, he said, there is no law that prohibits a qualified person above a certain age from driving a car on roads in Malaysia. He said lawmakers in Parliament have also not found any need to amend the existing legislations.
"When law enforces think some restrictions should be imposed on senior citizens when they renew their driving licenses, then they (law enforcement agencies) must come out with a good reason for doing so."
Lee added that senior citizens, especially parents of working children could not depend on other people to move about.
And since most senior citizens are pensioners and retired from work, they could not afford to employ a driver or opt for taxi or e-hailing services which will subsequently put a strain on their finances.
"Not all senior citizens can afford to use the services of taxis or e-hailing rides to move around since most of them are pensioners and do not have any source income."
Lee also touched on Azisman's statement on the need for senior citizens to undergo health screenings and get a letter from a doctor to confirm to be fit to drive.
As the country is making preparations to treat Covid-19 as endemic, he said, such a proposal could overwhelm the healthcare system, which is currently occupied with battling the spread of Covid-19.
He, nevertheless, stressed that senior citizens must also be responsible and help authorities to reduce the number of road accidents.
"Senior citizens must also be considerate and avoid from endangering the their lives or that of other people.
"If they know they are suffering from a health condition such as poor eye sight and that they are not fit to drive, then they should not drive," he said.