Safety over fines: S’poreans react to Malaysia’s new bus seat belt rule

Buckling up on long-distance bus rides in Malaysia should be about personal safety rather than fear of fines, said some Singaporean travellers in response to the country’s new compulsory seat belt rule.

Since July 1,

all passengers on tour and express buses in Malaysia

have been required to wear seat belts, or face a fine of up to RM300 (S$90) if they do not. Bus operators and drivers may be fined, too, if passengers do not belt up.

Ms Salma Begam said her family members always wear their seat belts while on such buses because of the risk of serious injury in road accidents.

“We are not so concerned about the fines, and don’t just buckle up to avoid getting a fine,” said Ms Begam, 56, who visits Selangor every few months with her husband and two teenage daughters.

“It is a responsibility we owe to ourselves to be safe.”

She added that she and her husband are prepared to pay more for newer buses fitted with seat belts, as they usually spend about five hours on the road on such trips.

“Sometimes, the bus drivers are very tired and may fall asleep at the wheel. Only the safety belt can help (when that happens).”

Mr Joseph Pereira also pays more for coaches with seat belts for his jaunts up north, at his children’s insistence.

The retired teacher, who is in his 70s, said he used to travel on buses without seat belts, and once witnessed a minor accident where a child fell and bruised his elbows because he was not restrained.

He observed that those who do not buckle up on buses are typically mothers with infants or young children who need to be carried, and some teenagers, but is of the view that the new rule will spur these passengers to do so.

“With the new rule... people will most likely buckle up because (the prospect of a fine) is an unnecessary expenditure to have, not to mention the fact that it is an unpleasant experience to get fined while on a trip,” he said.

University student Gregory Tan hopes that the new rule will push operators of older buses to install the safety feature.

The new rule currently applies to buses registered from Jan 1, 2020, with a grace period given to buses built before that to install seat belts.

Mr Tan, 23, said the buses he and his friends usually take to Johor Bahru or Genting Highlands are not equipped with seat belts.

To keep themselves safe, he and his friends choose morning departures, as they feel that the drivers would be more alert then. They also opt for seats which they feel would minimise injury in the event of an accident.

“If seat belts are available, people would gravitate towards putting them on as opposed to deliberately not buckling up,” said Mr Tan. “Why would anyone voluntarily want to be unsafe?”

However, Ms Rui Yi Tan said seat belts are too restrictive on long journeys, and make it difficult to talk to her friends across seats.

The 18-year-old tertiary student, who takes budget-friendly coach trips to Kuala Lumpur with her friends, admitted that they do not buckle up even when seat belts are available.

Ms Tan believes many passengers will wear seat belts only when there is a risk of being caught.

“How are they going to find out whether the person just buckled up when officers enter the bus to check, or had their seat belts on from the start?” she said.

Ms Tan also pointed out that passengers often forget to put their seat belts back on after pit stops, and said drivers and their assistants rarely remind people to do so.

“If they want people to follow such strict rules, they have to also come and check if we are doing it,” she added.

In a July 3 report, Malaysian news outlet The Star quoted Malaysian authorities as urging bus companies to get strict on enforcing the new rule and ensuring their fleets are properly fitted with seat belts.

When contacted, cross-border bus service Causeway Link’s operator, Handal Indah, said adjustments are being made to its fleet as it works to meet the new requirements.

Local travel agency Dynasty Travel, however, said the new rule will have little impact on its current operations.

It said all its shuttle buses and private hires come with a default compulsory seat belt rule.

Tour managers carry out routine reminders and checks, and the company noted that most travellers understand these requirements are “for their own welfare”.

A spokesperson said: “We’ve had negligible to no resistance in our efforts to help them travel safely.”