RINGGIT MALAYSIA OR ROSMAH MANSOR? 'RM' number plates spurs RM7mil in bids

ARAU - The total amount offered by 1,507 bidders across the country to get vehicle number plates with the letters 'RM' reached RM7 million, which is highest amount achieved in bids by the Perlis Road Transport Department (JPJ) so far.

RTD Perlis opened the bidding on February 23 and closed it on March 10 to enable the applications to be processed from March 11 and ended today.

Speaking to reporters at his office here in Jejawi , State JPJ director Zulhasmi Mohamad said number plates with the letters 'RL' offered before this only accumulated RM1.7 million in successful bids.

According to him, the total number of bidders for the 'RM' number plate was 6,272, comprising of individuals and companies from within and outside Perlis, accompanied with a deposit of 50% from their bid values.

All bidders would be informed if they had succeeded or failed in their respective tenders through letters which were sent out beginning yesterday.

Those who have succeeded would be required to pay the remaining 50% of their bid values within a month, and would then be given another six months to register the number plate.

"If the numbers plates are not registered within the period, the registration will be opened to others and the winning bidder will not be entitled to make any claims after that," he said.

Zulhasmi added the remaining 8,491 number plates using letters 'RM' will be opened to the public as soon as the remaining number plates using the letters RL (648) have all been issued to the applicants, which is expected to be later this month or in early May.

Zulhasmi said that the 'RM 1' number plate belonged to the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail under his existing quota and it is understood that the number plate would be given to the Raja Muda, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail to be used for his vehicle.

The 'RM 7' number plate has been given to a member of the state administration under the quota granted to the Mentri Besar.

The number plate which attracted the highest bid was 'RM 8' with a tender of RM297,000 from a company outside Perlis. - Sundaily