These Red Number Plates Can Help Escape Traffic Laws

Malaysia is a beautiful country that has a lot to offer. Too bad most of the time we’re all stuck in traffic wondering if the car farts from a modified Mitsubishi would kill us before we get to experience any of it. But to be fair, the painful traffic can also lead to some cool discoveries, especially when it comes to number plates. Sure, plates like PEN15 or B4B1 are fun to look at but have you ever seen red number plates on the road?

And did you know that the owners of these red number plates can get away with murder?

Chop! We know what you’re thinking and no, you don’t need to fear for your life every time you see these plates. The plates are given to a specific group of people for specific reasons. And these people are called ‘Diplomats’.

Red number plates are actually ‘diplomatic plates’

The red number plates you see on the road are actually diplomatic plates. There are 4 kinds available in Malaysia and they follow a particular alphanumeric sequence that denotes nationality, rank and organisation. For example, 16-01-DC indicates that the diplomat is American, the Head of Mission and part of the diplomatic corps. Here are all 4 kinds and how they look:

• Diplomatic corps: xx-xx-DC (red)
• Consular corps: xx-xx-CC (black)
• United nations: xx-xx-UN (red)
• Other international organisations: xx-xx-PA (black)

Since it looks cool, you might be thinking to yourself, “Maybe I should get one of these,” but the problem with that is, while these number plates are still issued under the Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ), no average Johan can walk in and demand one. The plates are actually given by the government to foreign diplomats, ambassadors and high-ranking officials.

But what makes these plates so special? Well, instead of focusing on how it looks, you’d be surprised to know that these diplomatic plates can help its drivers evade traffic laws. That means diplomats in Malaysia can double or even triple park (park upside down also can) in Bangsar during peak hours and not get fined for it. If they wanna sailang an ambulance with its sirens blaring on the road, abang polis trafik can’t say anything about that either.

The truth is these red number plates are part of something much bigger and more powerful called diplomatic immunity.

Red number plates are just an extension of diplomatic immunity

Before you start cussing out diplomats on the road cos they can suka hati park in-front of fire hydrants while you’ve been looking for parking for 2 hours, you should know that they are actually protected under the Vienna Convention Act 1961. This law states:

A diplomatic agent shall enjoy immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving State. He shall also enjoy immunity from its civil and administrative jurisdiction.

To refresh your memory, the red number plates are given to three types of people.

• Ambassador: Top-ranking diplomat
• Foreign diplomat: An official who works for an embassy/high commission/consulate
• High-ranking official

All these diplomats hold diplomatic immunity, which allows them to evade certain laws. So, if you were thinking to yourself, “Hmm nevermind, I just steal only the red number plate then I no need bayar saman,” then sorry to disappoint you, cos normies like you and me will still masuk lokap since the power is not in the plate, but in the immunity. 

But how come these people so OP sampai can escape jurisdiction? Well, think of it this way. If you’re a Malaysian and your employer suddenly asks you to move to Uruguay, you won’t necessarily know all the laws that govern that country, right? To make things easier for diplomats, they’re given these diplomatic plate numbers so if they accidentally break any traffic laws, they can pretty much get off scot-free.

This immunity ensures safe travels for diplomats, so they can carry out any of their tasks without being susceptible to lawsuits or criminal prosecution. It doesn’t matter if they’re in a foreign country to facilitate meetings or to be a spy digging for intelligence. Since their job requires them to represent their country on international soil, this protection is important so diplomats can’t be used as pawns or be caught in a dispute that can have them arrested for political reasons.

It’s kinda like going to a stranger’s house for an errand you had to run for your parents. You wouldn’t step foot in it if you think you’d be knifed as soon as you go “Assalamualaikum!” right? The diplomatic immunity is basically the stranger greeting you with biscuits and a warm blanket upon your arrival.

This was the basis of the Vienna Convention Act 1961, where all countries basically sat down and agreed to protect diplomats, so they can continue fostering new relationships or nurturing existing ones between each other. Otherwise, any country would have the right to shoot the messenger and nothing will ever get done.

With all that said, being a diplomat can pose dangers to their family. So, to ensure everyone feels safe, members of the diplomat’s family, or anyone within the same household with close relations, can enjoy certain privileges and immunity as well.

Speaking of privileges, since getting away with traffic laws is considered sap sap sui for these diplomats, does this mean they can get away with more serious offences – let’s say, murder? After all, the Vienna Convention Act 1961 did mention immunity from criminal jurisdiction…

Yes, diplomats can totally get away with murder (kinda)

Let’s cut to the chase. The answer is yes, but also, no.

The pipeline from speeding to manslaughter is actually quite common and there have been several cases where a diplomat (or an official who has diplomatic immunity) has killed someone and gotten away with it.

Take for example the case of an American Marine, Christopher Van Goethem, who ran a traffic light, collided with a taxi and killed a Romanian musician, Teo Peter. A few hours after the accident, Van Goethem fled Romania under the terms of his diplomatic immunity, which hindered investigators from conducting tests on his blood alcohol level.

The Romanian government requested the American government to waiver his immunity, but they refused to do so, which meant that Van Goethem could not be tried in Romanian court. 2 years after the incident, Van Goethem finally faced charges in the U.S military justice system but get this… He was found not guilty of negligent homicide. Instead, he only faced charges for making false statements and obstructing justice.

But that happened in Romania. What about a case that happened right here in Malaysia?

In 2017, the most blatant example of diplomatic immunity in Malaysia happened when Kim Jong Nam, who happens to be the half-brother of North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, was assassinated at KLIA using a VX nerve agent. Many suspects were detained and brought in for questioning and while the murder seemed pretty cut and dry, the catch here is: One of the killers was a high-ranking embassy employee named Hyon Kwang-Song, and he had diplomatic immunity. Not just that, he and two other suspects holed themselves up in the North Korean Embassy for protection.

If you’re wondering why police can’t just storm into the embassy and arrest them, it’s because the embassy is considered “sovereign territory of the country concerned” and if authorities were to barge in, it would be a breach of diplomatic protocol.

While he was named a suspect along with the other North Koreans, all charges against them were dropped and instead, two women from Indonesia and Vietnam were charged with the murder. But in 2019, those murder charges against the women were dropped as well. 

There are other instances (both in Malaysia and other countries) where diplomatic officials used their immunity for nefarious purposes. Us regular citizens, might be shaking our fists at the Vienna Convention for allowing these diplomats to hold such power but rest assured, these diplomats are not 100% immune to the law.

Diplomatic immunity isn’t a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card

If you really think about it, if diplomatic immunity can help you get away with murder and assault with essentially just a spank on the butt, wouldn’t there be more psychopaths in the world abusing this privilege?

While we like to believe that it’s because there are virtuous humans on this Earth and that these diplomats are morally and ethically conscious enough to refrain from committing crimes, that would be a naive guess. The reality is, diplomatic immunity isn’t 100% immunity, and the people who hold this privilege can still be subjected to punishment, just like the rest of us.

With each case of a diplomat running free from the charges held against them, there are tons of other cases where they actually get a punishment that fits their crime. So, that’s why when you see a diplomatic car on the road, you don’t immediately accept your fate of being shot in the head by the driver just because they were having a bad day.

These diplomats were not picked off the street and randomly thrown into international politics, mind you. At least for Malaysian diplomats, they have to have certain qualifications and undergo training to receive that immunity. Here’s what differentiates us normies from them.

Diplomats must:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with fluency in Bahasa Malaysia and English. Proficiency in other languages is considered a bonus.
• Apply for the Malaysian Diplomatic Service (MDS), which is the entry-level program for aspiring diplomats in Malaysia. This involves submitting an application form, academic transcripts, and other supporting documents. Candidates are required to pass written and oral exams, as well as interviews.
• Complete the training program that typically lasts for around 18 months. The program covers a range of topics, including diplomacy, international relations, and language skills.

The power behind diplomatic immunity and diplomatic plates have captured attention worldwide and even spawned enthusiasts who collect the plates as a hobby. And now that you know the basics and wish to reap in the benefits, maybe you could apply to become a diplomat yourself?

Basically, the red number plate you see on the road is just one Jibbitz on the Crocs that is diplomatic immunity. The concept is actually quite all-encompassing and it extends to more perks like diplomatic bags, which are used to carry sensitive items during a mission, and diplomatic lanes at the airports for faster travels.

At the end of the day, we all report to someone (bukan Tuhan je yang boleh judge) and if these diplomats cause trouble on foreign soil, it reflects poorly on the government that assigned them the job and sent them there. They are after all under a magnifying glass cos if they mess up, it would cause an international dispute. So, if you think getting in trouble with your boss is scary enough, imagine if your boss were an entire country.

The next time you’re envious of a diplomatic car on the road merging lanes without using their turn signals or parking somewhere they’re not supposed to, just think about all the stress they’re going through that you’re not. We’re the lucky ones here!