A Malaysian man topped records when he paid $54,300 for a car license plate bearing his surname. It is the highest bid for such an item in the country.

Road Transport Department director-general Emran Kadir said the "TAN" license plate was taken by an ethnic Chinese businessman, identified only as Tan.

The Star quoted Emran adding that the three-letter combination was followed by a single digit, further increasing the price of the plate.

The first letter on a number plate indicates the state that issues it, and the successful bidder obtained it from Terengganu state. The bidder is not a native of the state, The Star said.

Previously, a plate bearing "JJJ1" fetched $45,050.

The surname Tan is commonplace in the country's minority ethnic Chinese population. They comprise a quarter of the 26 million citizens.

The Malaysian government does not honor personalized plates but rather auctions off license plates reading specific numbers or letters.