Would You Buy Or Rent An Rv

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RECENTLY Anthony Loke announced that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has agreed to allow recreational vehicle (RV) services to be licensed and regulated for commercial use, effective Jan 1, 2026.
According to Loke, MOT and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will explore implementing a centralised system for RV licence applications to streamline the process, so that each RV for rental would only require a single permit from Motac to be used for tourism activities, as this falls beyond the MOT’s jurisdiction.
However, it is a fallacy to assume that all rental vehicles are used by tourists as few travellers upon arriving by air or train prefer to rent and drive a vehicle than rely on taxis or e-hailing services.
I was in the car rental industry from the late 1970s and served as general manager in several car rental firms from 1993 to 2004.
I also worked in the largest local inbound tour company, which was also the first to offer car rental service in 1963.
In the 1980s, Australian tourists could hire a car for two to three weeks to explore peninsular Malaysia, and they could be two women travelling on their own, confident of the safety and security we enjoyed here.

We also delivered cars to meet arriving passengers at Singapore airport, including Swiss tourists.
It was quite a feat for a burly Caucasian to squeeze into a small Datsun 120Y, seating on the right side of the car instead of left, driving on the left side of the road instead of right, and heading to Johor at night guided by a folded map.
As the North-South Expressway was completed only a decade later, tourists on fly-drive holidays to Malaysia drove on primary trunk roads that connect major cities and towns, and secondary trunk roads that crisscross the states. Without a divider at the centre, it was risky and travelling slowed whenever stuck behind lorries.
But the towns were quaint and the countryside scenic. Then, kampung houses and their spacious compounds were well kept with plenty of fruit trees.

It was quite a sight when rambutans were in season, as these red or yellow skinned fruits could hang very low, weighed down by gravity. There were literally low hanging fruits.
When applying for car rental permits in the 1990s, I wrote in my working paper that peninsular Malaysia was one of the best places in the world for motoring holidays, and fly-drive tourists deserve a red carpet welcome, as they spread their tourist dollar wherever they go.
But after getting stuck in horrendous traffic along our highways in recent years, I would not travel outstation by road, especially over long weekends and holidays, nor would I recommend others for motoring holidays.
They could travel by train if available, such as the Electric Train Service or the East Coast Rail Link when completed.

With RV available for rental next year, will they be popular? The Malaysia Motorhome Caravan Association (Mamca) president Farman Othman said RV tourism could be a signature attraction for VM2026.
Its secretary is Ahmad Hazwan Zahari, a leading RV dealer, content creator, and reportedly with more than 600,000 followers.
However, their enthusiasm is unlikely to be shared with major car rental companies, as their core business is corporate rental, allowing some to grow their fleet size to several thousand vehicles.
Members of the Car Rental Association of Malaysia wish to be regulated by one ministry instead of two, preferring MOT over Motac.

RVs are popular in countries with milder climates and many picturesque spots in the countryside where it is safe to stop and enjoy nature or the wilderness during the day, and caravan parks at night.
But most tourists would rather drive a car and stay at a tourist-class hotel, which could be cheaper, more flexible and less cumbersome.
In any case, we ought to remember that tourism is an umbrella term that includes all activities whenever a person travels out of town, city or country, and shopping is the main tourism expenditure.
Interestingly, retail sales of automotive fuel was the third highest expenditure in domestic tourism last year.
All recreational activities out of town may be categorised as a part of tourism, and RVs can be classified under tourism vehicles. But strictly speaking, they are more for recreation than tourism with minimal expenditure.
The activity is much like going to a beach or picnic, as RV operators stocked up uncooked food before their journey.
If so, they spend much less than other excursionists or tourists at various destinations, and certainly not on accommodation.
If the tourism business is more about expenditure, revenue and receipts, then those travelling on RVs will make the least contribution compared to other visitors at various tourist destinations. 
YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of 
-  Focus Malaysia.

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