Claim: Social media posts falsely asserted Malaysia's Road Transport Department (JPJ) proposed allowing Rohingya refugees to obtain driving licences. Reality: JPJ denied the claim on 24 September and filed a complaint with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Experts note current rules require a valid passport for a learner's licence, which refugee documents do not satisfy. The fabricated graphic used a JPJ photo from February 2025 and circulated amid heightened anti‑migrant sentiment in Malaysia.
False Claim Debunked: Malaysia's JPJ Denies Proposal To Let Rohingya Apply For Driving Licences
Screenshot of the false post captured on October 2, 2026, with a red X added by AFP
Malaysian authorities have denied a viral social media claim that the Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, JPJ) proposed allowing Rohingya refugees to apply for Malaysian driving licences. JPJ said the graphic circulating online was fabricated to resemble an official news item and that it has lodged a complaint with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
What Went Viral
A Malay‑language social media graphic shared on and after 28 September 2026 used a photo of JPJ Director‑General Aedy Fadly Ramli taken at a press briefing. The image was overlaid with misleading text suggesting JPJ intended to allow Rohingya refugees to obtain learner's or other Malaysian licences. AFP captured and investigated the post on 2 October 2026 and found the photo originated from JPJ's official Instagram account on 10 February 2025 and was unrelated to any policy change.
Screenshot comparison between the false post (left) and an image from the Road Transport Department's Instagram page (right)
Official Response
In a Facebook statement published on 24 September, JPJ said it "strongly denies" making any proposal to permit Rohingya refugees to obtain Malaysian driving licences and described the viral post as made to resemble an official news report. The agency said it has filed a report with the MCMC for investigation and urged the public to verify information through official channels.
Legal And Practical Barriers
Law Teik Hua, head of the Road Safety Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia, told AFP that current JPJ rules require foreign nationals applying for a Malaysian Learner's Driving Licence (LDL) to present a valid passport. He noted that refugee documentation does not meet the legal passport requirement and that any change to allow refugees to obtain licences would require an explicit revision of government policy and licensing regulations.
Screenshot of the Road Transport Department's September 24 Facebook statement
Context
The misinformation circulated amid a marked rise in anti‑migrant sentiment in Malaysia. In June 2026 a large petition — later removed — called for the removal of Rohingya refugees, accusing them of straining resources and creating security concerns. In late September, Malaysian authorities began repatriating thousands of Myanmar nationals who they said had volunteered for return from detention centres, a move rights groups warned could put returnees at risk.
Fact: Rohingya account for roughly two‑thirds of the approximately 190,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers registered in Malaysia, according to United Nations estimates.
AFP and other fact‑checking organisations have previously debunked several false claims targeting Rohingya refugees in Malaysia. Authorities and experts encourage the public to rely on official statements and trusted news outlets when assessing viral social media posts.
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