H00 U ....number plates..

 Reports emerged earlier this week saying that vehicle owners will be allowed to bid for personalised vehicle registration numbers (NPP) from 2013. Cars, bikes, lorries and buses are eligible, but not taxis. There’s clearly a demand for such things, so it makes sense for JPJ to increase their revenue.

“The NPP is one of the new initiatives by the JPJ to members of the public. We will be able to introduce it once our computer system is upgraded and new security features are incorporated,” said JPJ director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan. JPJ was allocated RM282 million to upgrade its system as part of the Government Transformation Programme.

Solah explained that the bidding exercise will be divided into two categories, namely exclusive and non-exclusive. A non-exclusive NPP can belong to more than one individual while an exclusive one is the property of one person. The non-exclusive NPPs will be cheaper and offered via a tender exercise. For exclusive NPPs, JPJ will determine the cost to the bidder.

“The bidder will then have the right for the NPP from numbers 1 to 9999,” he said, adding that the JPJ had yet to finalise the cost for the NPPs. Also not yet finalised is the the number of characters that would be allowed for such registration plates.

Current vehicle owners can bid too, but they will need to buy a new vehicle to place their existing number on. Finally, our cars can wear their names with pride. In my dreams, I have a cili padi called Megan. What’s yours?