IPOH, July 1 — Malaysian authorities will postpone the enforcement of summons and compounds on private vehicle drivers who do not use the child restraint system (CRS) which was supposed to start today.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong reportedly said the postponement was due to outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the government’s wish to give the public more time to prepare.
“The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is still continuing this rule on the basis of the safety of children on board. Advocacy activities will be continued, as well as enforcement activities that will focus on educating, advising and alerting the public on the importance of using CRS," he told Sinar Harian in an exclusive interview.
The MOT had on January 1 enforced the implementation of the CRS in each private car, but the enforcement of summons or compounds was suspended for six months until yesterday to ensure that the industry could provide sufficient CRS supply.
Last year, the ministry had already considered giving exception to large families in the mandatory installation of CRS.
“However, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and to provide more space for the public to make preparations, the enforcement activities will be implemented on the basis of educating, advocating and advising up to a certain time.
“Most importantly, the people need to understand the importance of CRS and how to use it properly. The MOT’s stance is clear that the safety of Malaysians is always a priority and is taken seriously,” he said.
He said the ministry would continue to work with other agencies under its roof such as the Road Safety Research Institute of Malaysia (Miros) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ), not only in matters involving CRS, but also covering other issues related to the road safety and regulations.
“When it comes to enforcement, many consider it a mere form of summonses. Some have described as such that people are burdened by complicated rules.
“However, enforcement activities are aimed at ensuring that the community is always in compliance with road safety laws and regulations,” he said.
“In fact, advising road users is also one of the enforcement methods. Most importantly, MOT encourages people, especially parents, to use CRS to keep their children safe while on the road,” he added.
