By Aida Nyan
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — A bicycling activist has rejected the proposal to impose a road tax on cyclists, describing the idea as illogical.
According to Akmal Azfar Abd Mutalib, 37, road tax is paid when renewing the Motor Vehicle Licence (LKM) and applies only to motor vehicles like cars and motorcycles.
"A bicycle is not a motor vehicle, so it does not require an LKM. If we go by the logic of ‘those who do not pay should not use the road’, then should motorcycles also be barred from using highways just because they do not pay tolls?" he said at his workshop, The Basikal, in Dutamas recently.
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Bicycling activist Akmal Azfar Abd Mutalib, 37, speaks to Media Selangor at his workshop, The Basikal, in Dutamas, in July 2025. — Picture by MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Akmal explained that the current taxation system allows larger vehicles to help subsidise the use of lighter modes of transport like bicycles, which are more environmentally friendly and do not contribute to congestion.
Commenting on claims by some parties who compare Malaysia to developed countries, he stressed that bicycle registration requirements in countries like Japan and parts of Europe are not equivalent to licensing, like the LKM.
"In Europe, only bicycles that can reach speeds exceeding 45 kilometres per hour must be registered, as they are categorised as mopeds," he said.
Akmal, who holds a degree in Environmental Science from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM), also warned that regulations made without long-term consideration could harm the cycling culture.
"In Australia, the number of cyclists dropped by nearly 40 per cent after helmet-wearing was made mandatory in the early 1990s. This proves that user-unfriendly laws can have negative consequences," he pointed out.
Instead, Akmal believes that education and awareness among all road users are more crucial to creating a fair and safe traffic ecosystem.
The issue of taxing cyclists resurfaced recently following a viral video showing an altercation between a group of cyclists and a bus driver in Kuala Selangor, which was believed to have been triggered by the cyclists obstructing the roadway.
In response, a handful of social media users argued that cyclists should not be on the road since they do not contribute through taxes, a claim refuted by activists like Akmal.
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Bicycling activist Akmal Azfar Abd Mutalib at his workshop, The Basikal, in Dutamas. — Picture by MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
