In Cars, Local News, Safety / By Anthony Lim / 26 March 2018 2:55 pm / 87 comments
Usually, discussions on the topic of vehicle windows are centred on the level of visble light transparency (VLT) and the issue of permissible levels of window tint.
Currently, the new rules specify minimum permissible VLT levels of 70% for the front windscreen, 50% for the front side windows and 30% for all other windows (rear side windows and rear screen) – this replaced the 70% VLT for the windscreen and 50% VLT for all other windows under the old ruling.
However, there are also other items pertaining to what can and cannot be used on automotive glass windows other than fixed film tints, which may motorists may not be aware of. For example, it is prohibited to use of any kind of curtain or decorative stickers on vehicle windows.
The law is not new – it is indeed contained in the Motor Vehicle Rules (Prohibition on Certain Types of Glass) 1991, according to Datuk Haji Mohamad Dalib, JPJ’s automotive engineering department director. “The rules are very clear, any installation of blinds or curtains, or even decorative stickers placed on the windows of a vehicle is strictly prohibited,” he said.
“Installation of curtains is only permitted for express buses and also for tour buses. However, those who wish to do so need to apply in advance and obtain approval from us. For private vehicles, it is not permissible,” he added.
Touching on why the use of permanent curtains was not allowed, Mohamad explained it was the same as the use of excessively dark window tint. Besides further altering VLT levels, it may pose a safety concern by hindering the driver’s vision, and visibility into the vehicle from outside should be clear and unobstructed.
What about the use of removable blinds, curtains or other material? According to the department, the rules apply to these types too – such use is prohibited under the provisions of existing law. If there is a complaint from the public or a vehicle is stopped during roadblock operations, further action is subject to the discretion of the officer in charge.
If found guilty, an errant motorist can be fined no more than RM1,000 and/or be subject to imprisonment not exceeding one month. The short of it is that any use of blinds, curtains or sun shades – in any form – isn’t legal.
The last was actually a recent query posed by a reader, who asked for clarity regarding the legality of installing car window shades. Some years back, a news report had indicated that motorists were allowed to use sun shades or place towels on car windows to block out the sun.
The department had at that point explained that this was allowed because sun shades and towels were not permanent items and could be removed when needed, while stickers and curtains were permanent fixtures that could interfere with a driver’s view.
It looks as if that may have changed. What do you think? Should non-permanent, removable sun shades or material be allowed for use on vehicles to enhance occupant comfort, especially in cars that might not have window tint film applied? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
Idiots up there don’t really care since they have super black tint to shade themselves from the sun. The rest of us will have to cry like vampires being burnt by the sun.
Proton Perdana accord are legally dark tinted due to official govt duties.
Counting under table money duties behind the dark side?
First and foremost, there must be equality in the law. Everyday you drive, I see at least hundred cars that are totally black tint besides the shades.
Polis see, bola also takut. I have seen so many polis officer saluting black tinted cars, especially Alphard. The best part is, they are not even VIPs. Just moms sending their kids to school.
Once our PDRM get bola and enforce tinting ruling, then only, shades also will be regulated properly
Then, why some cars are permitted to have build in curtain ? like the Honda Accord , some Mercs & others
then wear sun glasses also illegal!!! si bodoh
Why all the 99% traffic police wear sun glasses? Because of Gaya? Puih!!!! Shame on u
Baru panas dunia dah bising. If you cant really stand the heat, just go and use public transport la
Jawapan bodoh baru panas dunia bising.. Kau kalau boleh tahan masukla neraka..
Have you ever use public transport? Do you know public transport also not tinted thus the heat? How idiot can you be to tell people to use public transport if they can’t stand the heat? Why don’t you suggest they just walk where they wanted to go if the heat is the issues? Stupid head using kneecap to think..
Brilliant, now I want to go to work from my house lets see how. Take a taxi to KTM station KTM station to KL Sentral Switch train Reach destination Now another taxi to reach work place.
Do you think we are paid for all this… ♂️
Only if Malaysia ever has winter season :) No sun + no heat = lesser people dark tinting, more people using shades only when the sun’s out.
I gather that the sun shades in many luxury cars that you need to pull up to shade against the sun (rear passenger windows and rear windscreen) is not considered permanent and therefore allowed?
What i know is, shades only can be use when u oark ur car, especially park under hot sun. Not allowed to use when driving.
Doesn’t make sense at all about the non permanent fixtures ruling. What if the owner put up temporary curtains or blinds that is totally dark and allows no visibility on a permanent basis??? Then it still becomes a permanent thing and still endangers other road users and the driver!!!
Nobody is so stupid to put up blinds that cannot see through & drive with it. Non see through are actually curtains & that is dangerous. It’s the see through non permanent & foldable blinds that are sold everywhere that is the logical topic of discussion here.
Habislah those fitting sunshades from DIY, Groovy and Amerguard. Macam boleh tapi sekarang macam tak boleh. Next, custom floor mat pun tak boleh because can hide things underneath. I think next time I beli panel van sahaja.
from the article sun shades is allow
Do you understand english? JPJ said even sun shades is illegal
Local grad engrish command. Similar feedback from many HR managers.
It is legal to use sun shades since it is not permanent.
Did you read the article?
legal or not is subjected to the discreet of the law enforcement officer manning the road block!
If everyone are equal consider fair, but why still got lot of car did so… specially got tittle n the big car one.. it’s because of they are special human being…. actually just simple why you let those things into our country or easy to get at the market? since is illegal..
If Government doesn’t allow the RAKYAT to install such sunshades, then why the governmental vehicles, especially those Higher Ranking Government Servants? Aren’t their safety is much more important to the country?
Let’s look at this issue at a practical aspect, looking at the hot sunny day now a day….driving without darker tinted or sunshades might actually causing much more issues, it caused more annoyance to the driver when the sunlight is too bright/hot.
Country like Thailand and Indonesia also can allow their vehicles to be tinted as dark as they want. Why only Malaysia? If government wanted to restrict, then they should ban those installer or importer of such materials.
Alwin, the laws are the same in Thailand and Indonesia too. Excessively dark tints are illegal there too. The problem is that the law enforcement there is greatly lacking due to corruptions.
Actually it is allowed in Indonesia. We don’t have limits for that. The reason is because many ladies driving alone at night, and it’s unsafe for them if people can see they are alone.
I have done research the sunniest state in US is Arizona with 90% of sunshine in a year and average temperature of 23.8 Celcius. Compare this with our country Kuala Lumpur which have sunshine almost all year long and average temperature that is higher than Arizona which is 28.0 Celcius. But… how come Arizona tinted regulation is more relaxed than ours? Security concerns? Not only you can buy gun in Arizona if you’re 18 years old, you can openly carry your handgun when you’re 21 and yet their second row car window can be fully dark! I think JPJ should be disbanded if they continue to make the rakyat’s life miserable for no good reason.
We dont need clear car windows/screen…
What we need is Clear Guidelines…. JPJ suka suka this can this cannot… no standard ruling at all..
Clear Guidelines & Clear Enforcement needed. Those so called illegal accessories can be easily obtain at car acc shop.
Yes. This is the real issue. ISA ( ikut suka Aku) no clear consistent guidelines.
I think most malaysian motorists use sunshades for the obvious reason, to block the blazing sun. So, to fine people for using such shades is a bit harsh. If you see anyone putting up those temporary sunshades, at night then you go tangkap lah. Seriously, the sun can be a problem for kids or babies. As they are seated in a fixed position in the child car seat and the younger kids don’t even know how to avoid the sunlight themselves. Very kesian you know
“discretion of the officer in charge”. Tuan, i only have one movable curtain, on the back passenger window behind the driver seat; 100% doesn’t block my view. the other side back passenger window dont have this. salah ka?
Kalau buta buta ikut law, dah salah.
The primary problem are Mat rempits. Try to solve that first.
really? cause in the last week I have been in a few Grab and Uber cars thats got those window blinds thats attached with suction cups
“The department had at that point explained that this was allowed because sun shades and towels were not permanent items and could be removed when needed, while stickers and curtains were permanent fixtures that could interfere with a driver’s view.”
Ya right, I smelled BS
PT, perhaps can ask again why in Honda Accord specs got specify rear windows shades. Isit still legal?
I went for PUSPAKOM VAN inspection. The inspector advice me to pull open the curtain, and passed the inspection.
hi..hii.. it is van jenazah
JPJ is flip flop king. if suddenly people viral this then they say ok. last time one guy post FB say was saman for putting up temporary shade but actually saman was for dark tint. that time JPJ say non-permanent tint is ok.
see they write there 1000 ringgit fine and jail time. last time people viral that they say no jail term or 1000 fine.
Flip – Flop. Flip – Flop. Just another ordinary day.
Each little Napoleon has his own interpretation on some geriatric rule or law. By the time they get to updating it, technology would have moved on & the new standard would be obsolete by the time it gets enacted. Just another ordinary day then.
What about shades already installed from the factory? Camrys, merc, audi all have them for rear doors and rear windscreen.
many questions to two main products: 1) Retractable rear screen sunshade which is original from Perodua legal or not? Perhaps when driving have to retract la but somehow if found driving when pulled sure kena saman or can nego? Again this is original acc from Perodua. 2) how about sun shade from groovy legal or not? it is not fixed to window and can easily remove. Article from The Star dated Thursday September 27, 2012 with title “ARE SUNSHADES LEGAL IN MALAYSIA?” mentioned like this “Selangor Road Transport Department: Sunshades are allowed because it is removable and not permanent.”
“However, those who wish to do so need to apply in advance and obtain approval from us.”
“Besides further altering VLT levels, it may pose a safety concern by “hindering the driver’s vision”, and visibility into the vehicle from outside should be clear and unobstructed”
According to JPJ, altering VLT will lead to safety issues. But still can apply for approval. So in other words, we can apply to have unsafe car condition to drive?
Safety should be no 1 priority right? Cannot brain this.
When there are too many reasons in an article..it’s just gonna contradict w each other…
You did not quote the whole passage.
“Installation of curtains is only permitted for express buses and also for tour buses. However, those who wish to do so need to apply in advance and obtain approval from us. For private vehicles, it is not permissible”.
Buses already don’t have that great of a rear visibility even through the passenger windows. Some don’t even have rear windows at all, they are that useless. The windows are too high up anyway. So dark tints wouldn’t make any difference.
Sorry by dark tints I meant curtains.
‘any installation of blinds or curtains, or even decorative stickers PLACED ON THE WINDOW of a vehicle is strictly prohibited’
Yusoff Ayob The Star interview said “This is allowed because sunshades and towels are not permanent and can be removed when needed. Stickers and curtains are permanent and they reduce the driver’s view,”
Basically it means: 1) As long as the shade doesn’t obstruct the view of the driver and can be removed or retracted when needed then we can use it, and the catch is…. the front door windows and windscreen cant use shades (obstructs drivers view of oncoming cars at junctions, obstructs drivers view of side mirrors blind spots, obstructs drivers view when transitioning from bright to dark areas, and the list goes on…) If you think that bad… keep reading… 2) Other than the road tax and the probationary stickers, nothing else can be placed on the windows (shades stickers, car club stickers, branding stickers, spotted and win stickers, tinting stickers, clubhouse stickers, phone holder, smart tag, camcorders, Cute plushies, Baby Inside, cameras, good luck charms, religious stickers, I love xyz stickers, as long as it’s not 100% clear and 100% transparent and have the VLT as stated in their guidelines, everything is illegal to be attached onto all of our car windows, ALL as in ALL SIDES, Front, side, back, inside and outside)
If you think that’s bad, just wait till you hear about what you can and can’t put on the dashboards or hang on the rear view mirror… Just a hint: absolutely nothing… as in not even the non slip mat kind of nothing nothing…
If d sunshade not allowed, remembered the legend car proton WIRA and since long ago having d rear sunshade with auto launch up/down. A national car… and JPJ what talks u…!
soon we need to apply sun lotion when driving daylight.
well,, soon JPJ will chg rules till everybody must apply sunblock before go into car.. (will laugh die outside of country) and Thailand & Indo will ThumbUp coz they allowed for super dark tinted, they understand the weather but MY not.
Nak buat camne. Kalau benarkan nanti malam2 tiba2 kereta tepi jalan tu bergoyang2. Ko faham2 jela. Pasal org lain yg buat sial. Satu malaysia kene ikut rule tu.
“We change the rules whenever we want, whatever we want because **** you!” – JPJ
No clear guidelines and policy is the best loophole to encourage corruption because enforcer can main sedap hati play around with the rules…. Rakyat disusahkan and dipermainkan..
Many of cars these days have blinds attached to the rear windows off the bat ie installed by the manufacturers. The act is since 1991 and yet JPJ pose the blame on end users, why not JPJ with all its might and power put a ruling to the car manufacturers instead, and yes why not ban those dark tints both permanent and non permanent as well. It’s now 2018, what are you doing guys?
curtain also cannot? curtain when put on maybe 70% VLT, but when removed is 100% VLT wor…should be okay rite? removable during roadblock…
If the authorities are really serious at enforcing this rule, thousands of motorists will fall foul of the law.
Those overly dark tints don’t even get problems from the authorities, how do you expect people to follow rules about sunshades? Be fair and enforce properly la..
Strongly advised the respective local authorities to revisit such policy since Malaysian weather can be very hot and glaring at times. Increasing the VLT of window tinting would certainly benefit not only for VIPs but the rest of Malaysians as well. We’re all Malaysians anyway. Apart from straining the car air conditioning system, it also helps to reduce maintenance and fuel consumption since fuel price fluctuates like nobody business (increasing most of the time).
I believe Malaysia is the only country in the whole wide world having this tinting law to play around with.
Tinting is actually more dangerous than non permanent see through blinds. At night & when raining, the driver cannot see obstacles due to the heavy tinting. Then these idiots start fixing super bright lights that blind others because they can’t see clearly through the tinting with the standard headlights. For non permanent blind users they only put up when the sun is too hot & remove it when it gets dark. You see it’s JPJ guidelines on the tinting that’s causing these issue.
Aiyaa… All talk only la JPJ…. Before making statements here and there, do proper and fair enforcement first la. That means everyone subject to same law, and enforced the same to all. So orang kaya with their Maserati, Range Rovers etc and the everyday ppl with Alza, Vios etc all must follow la.
However, in the law, ada provision if those afflicted by skin disease like albinism (or keturunan Dracula) can tint more if they have doctors letter saying so or those that security can be threaten are exceptions (same as how they issue gun license). So commenting why high ranking officials’ cars has heavy tint also not right lah. But high ranking only, not the macai below.
Many canser cases now due to sunlight.
ya..perlu dibenarkn utk keselesaan pengguna. sunshade/curtain alternative murah dari tinted film. tapi dari segi keselamatan ia boleh menyebabkn kemalangan atau kehilangan nyawa anda sendiri atau org lain,walaupn kmungkinan brlaku tragedi amat tipis tapi perlu di considerkn oleh semua. pendapat saya la..semua duseragamkn. semua kerata baru dari kilang perlu ditintedkn oleh pengeluar mengikut spesifikasi yg dprsetujui oleh semua pihak.dgn jaminan sekali,klau boleh jaminan 10 tahun.
Besides further altering VLT levels, it may pose a safety concern by hindering the driver’s vision
Quote statemwnt above.. Then those minister with dark tint post dangerous to the driver due to low visibility. They should removed the dark tinted.
Apa yg susah sangat nak paham – kalau removable item – legal- tak kira lah letak spenda ker, letak mangkuk jamban ker dsbnya yg jenis senang nak buang dan utk yg permanent pulak, illegal – tak kiralah payung kau welding kat tingkap, kuali kau rivet atau apa2 shj yg susah nak dikopakkan – jgn marah, peace no war.
Kawan…artikel tu kata yg removable pun dah tak boleh, pasal tu la orang tak puas hati. Letak spenda pun boleh kena saman. “What about the use of removable blinds, curtains or other material? According to the department, the rules apply to these types too – such use is prohibited under the provisions of existing law. If there is a complaint from the public or a vehicle is stopped during roadblock operations, further action is subject to the discretion of the officer in charge.”
Non permanent or removable shades should be allowed lah…be considerate laa…
Dulu kita sangkut tuala/kain tahan sunshine boleh lah kot….
How about those luxury cars with built in sun shades like the ones S class have…? JPJ should inform Mercedes Benz to remove them lar or not to install lar…I agree too dark tinted should be not allowed but NOT sun shades. The babies need to sleep comfortably, dimmed and cooling environment lar…
There must be exceptions to the rules. Consideration must be granted to vans used as campers by owners who require privacy when sleeping in their vans.
after all these years… we are still stuck with fancy number plates and tinting issues… are these really so hard to resolve?
why panel van with no window can? is permanent fixture.
Can’t really brain all this. With so much concern on visibility, when is JPJ going to say wearing sunglasses when driving needs to be regulated also. Think about that! There are more important things than this!
Then I supposed all the gov tinted cars are endangering other road users as well. So shouldn’t they be removed from the road as well. It’s no longer because they are VVIP.
It doesnt matter dark or heat or white or black tinted. The Main reason is they want money . They makes rules to make money. Therefore if you have alot of money you can tinted black until 0%. If they catch you at the roadblock or somewhere else. They just give you summon and all you need is to PAY..JOM Pay laaa… If you can effort the real chargers , go on put in on.. if not just dont.. use simple and standard regulation stated by JPJ ( jompayjom).
I want to ask why JPJ and Puspakom does not have the same standards? I had my tint ripped out because what was JPJ compliant is not recognized by Puspakom!
If it’s illegal, ban the sale and installation of these items. ban the local manufacturing and import of these items as well.
So now confirm sunshades also cannot use?
This is so unacceptable especially with the statement “further action is subject to the discretion of the officer in charge”.
Apa ini? Suka Suka modify law? This is like encouraging Lim Koh Pee to be more active.
Comeon lah, sunshade also not allowed is totally unacceptable.
The rules shall apply to everybody. If the dark film is not allowed due to driver view, then what happen to all those VVIP which has license to tint their car with only 5% visible light transmission dark tint? Their driver vision is different with others driver? Can see the the dark tint ?
Actually these curtain are worst than tint, especially if the driver are low on “processors”. They even came out with the black plastic edition, blacker than any tint. Who knows these factor might create an accident or not, but i know they will become slow on exit junction and make the other driver impatient.
Actually these curtain are worse than tint, especially if the driver are low on “processors”. They even came out with the black plastic edition, blacker than any tint. Who knows these factor might create an accident or not, but i know they will become slow on exit junction and make the other driver impatient.
How are curtains and stickers permanent? When I used to sleep in a car I ductaped black t-shirts on the windows to actually be able to sleep, but you could argue I’m not driving and the car isn’t moving. But what about those sunblock shades my mom put on the window while driving for the kids? This shouldn’t be illegal. Drivers should be allowed to black out windows if they want to, it’s not our right to see what’s in their personal vehicle. Besides even permablack windows are visible to drivers. We can still see.
How are curtains and stickers permanent? When I used to sleep in a car I ductaped black t-shirts on the windows to actually be able to sleep, but you could argue I’m not driving and the car isn’t moving. But what about those sunblock shades my mom put on the window while driving for the kids? This shouldn’t be illegal. Drivers should be allowed to black out windows if they want to, it’s not our right to see what’s in their personal vehicle. Besides even permablack windows are visible to drivers. We can still see. Jsbdbekwnqbdisowbwbsksmen
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