PETALING JAYA: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has been instructed to clear the backlog of candidates waiting to obtain driving licences, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The Transport Minister said that the ministry and JPJ would conduct on-ground monitoring to listen to stakeholders and the public to solve the issue.

Dr Wee visited Berjaya Driving Institute in Johor Baru on Thursday (Aug 18).

"As of July 2022, within a period of seven months, the number of Berjaya's students is almost equal to the total number of students for the period of 2018. This shows an increase of 42% of students who have registered this year compared to 2018.

"Meanwhile, the number of instructors at the institution decreased from 215 in 2020 to only 185 in 2022 currently," he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

He added that in Johor alone, there were 3,639 people waiting to take driving classes and only 1,518 certified driving instructors.

"Those planning to take the driver's licence test have to wait two to three months," said Dr Wee, adding that the same situation was happening in the Klang Valley.

"On Wednesday (Aug 17), I instructed the JPJ to resolve the issue of candidates piling up or 'backlog' immediately when chairing the post-Cabinet meeting of the Transport Ministry," he wrote.