½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

You need to get an international driver's permit (then it's deemed valid). Get your international driver's permit, then go to JPJ and they'll handle the rest.

It's a pretty easy fix.

That really sucks. I believe the section you referred to is talking about the recognition of Malaysian drivers license in Australia. Currently Australia does not recognise Malaysian licenses only Singaporeans I believe. So a Malaysian would also need to get an Aussie license over there.

Sorry best you can do is ask for a discount at the police station.

The list of participant countries are shown in the PDF linked below. Both Malaysia and Australia are participant countries (note it's not in alphabetical order).



And no you can't go to the police station to ask for a "discount", you have to appear in court.

That's not an answer to the question I posed.

If you have an IDP, why would you need to go to JPJ.  You would only go to JPJ if you then intend on converting your license.  Converting your license is far from easy.

1) You cannot just show up to JPJ.  You need to book an appointment online.  Bookings are currently out to two weeks in advance.
2) I cannot book because their system is broken.  It errors when booking the appointment, most likely because I have foreign ID and not a local IC which needs to be provided.
3) You can't call them because as soon as they transfer you, the call drops.. called over a dozen times.
4) For a foreign license to be converted, it needs to be certified and endorsed by the High Commission/Embassy of the foreign country.
5) The foreign embassy will require that you get a letter of verification from the transport authority in the home country to verify your license is valid and current.
6) I can't submit an online request for the above for much the same reasons as the above system.  I have a foreign address on my license which their online form doesn't accept.
7) Can't call either, wait times even for international callers is over 30 minutes... so I sent an email, which has a 7 day turnaround.
8) Once you somehow get your certified and endorsed copy of your license, go back to step 1 and somehow book your online appointment.
9) Once you are in JPJ you need to have:
a) Application form
b) Exemption form
c) Copy of passport and original
d) Copy of visa and original
e) certified license copy and original
10) Submit your forms and they will give you appointment to return
11) Come back for your appointment and collect your license

Right...unless converting, JPJ has nothing to do with this so dont visit them. The IDP or recognized country license is for the cops when stopped and thats it.

It sounds like the OP came upon a cop who didnt know the laws and kicked it to the court to sort out. Print out the law in this thread, go to court, show the judge and walk out (assuming the AU license was still valid at the time of the crime).

Having said that, I never took the chance on a country-recognized license for the very reason of the OPs problem. I had IDP from AAA all along and have shown it 100 times, i bet. Never was i even asked for my country license. They like and understand the IDP in the hands of a foreigner. That said, they should have been trained better and carried the approved list with them when they stopped people. But then, this is Malaysia.

Ive used the IDP for 22 years and was never forced to convert. The reason I didnt voluntarily do it was because of the hassle and expense, together with the fact that a cop will more easily give a summons to a Malaysia license holder than to a foreigner with an IDP. Part of the reason is that an IDP is outside the system and the Malaysia license isnt, meaning that a Malaysia license could be revoked by a court but not the IDP. Having a local license means you have something to lose which is the primary purpose of any license for anything.  I say stay out of the system and radar as much as possible anyway.

Thanks for the educated response.  Think many failed to grasp what I was trying to convey and it confirms my understanding of the matter.

Not even sure it was a case of them being uneducated or simply trying to intimidate me into paying them to avoid the court.  For some reason it took six officers to issue me the summons.