KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — The Malaysian Government Pensioners' Association lauded the move by the government to rescind the mandatory inspection of cars older than 15 years prior to road tax renewal.

Association president Datuk Paduka Raja Wan Mahmood Pawan Teh said the decision was welcomed by pensioners, numbering some 500,000.

"We thank the government especially the Deputy Prime Minister for listening. Most pensioners are using old cars, relics of what they had been using while in government service and can ill-afford new cars," he told Bernama.

"If the condition was imposed, it would be a tax on their small pensions and cause inconvenience too. This is a very good move by the government but we appreciate the government's intention to enhance safety."

Raja Wan Mahmood said many pensioners had written to the association when the ruling was announced recently as part of the National Automotive Policy review.

He said statistics showed few pensioners were involved in accidents.

"The government should increase supervision of commercial vehicles, they are like moving factories with chimneys, full of black smoke, without brakes and running down poor helpless pedestrians," he said.

He said the waiver of the inspection was the second piece of good news of late for pensioners after the government extended the RM500 special payment for civil servants to those who have retired from service. — Bernama