PARLIAMENT The new car registration number plates starting with 'F' and 'V' are in such hot demand that a lawmaker has asked the government to give them free or at a discount.

Another lawmaker yesterday asked the government to reserve vehicle registration numbers 1 to 222 for the MPs.

The lawmaker jokingly said the rationale is enforcement authorities would not issue them summonses, as they would know who the cars belong to.

These requests were made in the Dewan Rakyat last night during the debate of the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2016.

"I think the younger generation are looking forward to the implementation of the number plate," said Irmohizam Ibrahim (BN-Kuala Selangor).

"If possible, let the members of parliament who want to own the number plate 'F' and 'V', get it at a discounted price.

"Or, there is request from friends (to allow lawmakers) to be given it for free if (the government feels it) appropriate," he added.

Agreeing, Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Lipis) urged the government to reserve either vehicle registration numbers starting with alphabet 'F' or 'V' for the parliamentarians according to their numbering of the 222 parliamentary constituencies.

"I propose to the deputy minister in the House, so that the number plate from 1 to 222 would be used by members of parliament.

"Meaning, I (am the MP of Lipis, listed as) P79, so I have to take number plate 'F79'," explained Abdul Rahman.

"The person who gets number plate '1' is lucky... My number is not as beautiful," he quipped.

"The Road Transport Department (enforcement officer) will know this is the lawmaker's (car). They would say, ‘don't issue a summons’," he added.

Umno MPs' interest noted

The Umno lawmaker looked around the House, noticing several of his colleagues paying attention to his remarks.

" Ledang (MP) smiles, I think he agrees; Tenggara (MP) played with her cell phone, I think she agree (too), although she WhatsApped with a certain individual," he added.

Tenggara MP is Deputy Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique, while Ledang MP is Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Hamim Samuri.

"Kuala Selangor (MP) said he agrees," he added.

In his winding up of the debate, Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Karpawi agreed to discuss the matter with Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

"Of course fans would fight for number plate 'F' and 'V', this is what I found out from the social media and print media,” he said.

"I received a lot of messages from friends and honourable (lawmakers) who want to own the 'F' number plate, especially those with their name starting with the same alphabet," he said.

"I will talk with the minister on Lipis (MP's) suggestion to give 'F' and 'V' to the lawmakers," he added.

Vehicles in the Federal Territories of Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur will use the new registration numbers starting with the alphabet ‘F’ and ‘V’ respectively from next month.

The registration numbers will run from 1 to 9999.

Currently, the plate numbers in the capital start with an alphabet series based on W, followed by four digits and an ending alphabet, while the administrative capital plates have ‘Putrajaya’ spelt in full.