The Malaysian government has launched a nationwide “Healthy and Safe Driver Programme” targeting 30,000 commercial vehicle drivers as part of efforts to strengthen road safety, with the initiative set to begin on July 2.

The programme is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Human Resources, the Social Security Organisation, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Malaysian Medical Association.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the entire health screening process has been fully digitalised. After conducting medical examinations at registered panel clinics, doctors will upload reports directly to an online system linked to JPJ’s MySikap platform.

As a result, drivers renewing their Public Service Vehicle licence, Goods Driving Licence or related permits will no longer need to submit paper-based medical forms.

The programme also reduces the cost of medical examinations for eligible drivers. With PERKESO subsidies, qualified drivers will pay only 30 ringgit for the health screening, compared with the usual 80 ringgit to 100 ringgit.

Loke said comprehensive health checks would help detect medical conditions at an early stage, ensuring that commercial drivers remain physically fit to operate vehicles safely.

He made the remarks after launching the programme in Kuala Lumpur, where Human Resources Minister R. Ramanan and other senior government officials were also present.

In its first phase, the programme will cover 30,000 commercial drivers aged between 40 and 59, a group considered to be at relatively higher risk.

The initiative will run from July to December this year with a total allocation of 12.4 million ringgit. Of the amount, 7 million ringgit will be provided by PERKESO, while the Ministry of Finance will contribute 5.4 million ringgit.

Initially, the programme will be offered through 500 registered panel clinics nationwide. The government plans to expand the network to 3,000 clinics in the future.

The programme’s effectiveness will be evaluated at the end of the year before a decision is made on expanding it to cover more commercial drivers in 2027.