The call to put infants and young kids in child seats when travelling in cars continues – now, Bernama reports that the Malaysian Consumers Association is urging the Government to introduce a law making it compulsory for child seats to be installed in cars ferrying young passengers.
The association said that making the use of child seats compulsory could help save young lives, stating that statistics have shown that child car seats reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants and 54% for children between the ages of one and five.
“Thousands of vehicles are driven daily and children ranging from infants to five-year-olds are at risk because they are seated at the back of the car without proper restraints,” the association’s secretary-general Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill said.
Referring to the fatal accident on May 2 at the Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) in which a couple and their seven-month-old baby were killed after they were flung out of their vehicle, Amarjit felt the baby could have been saved if she was securely strapped in a car child seat.
He added that there are also parents who put the child in the front seat or on their laps when the car is driven, which is not only dangerous to the front passenger but also to the child.
Back in February, MIROS had also echoed these concerns and sentiments, when a 20-month old toddler was flung out of a car and killed in an accident. We have long been believers in this aspect of safety, and have stressed the importance of using child seats in cars – if you’re not already aware of the topic, read why you should start putting your kids in child car seats before something happens.
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this i support
this I agree but most of lower income car owner has small car whereby if they have more from 3 childs it will be difficult for child seat space.
We have way too many excuse in this country. Its time for us to be firm and put this into place.
People will have to adapt.
Most lower income groups are poor and do not know how to control their reproductive organs. Mostly kampung people. I always see them in a Kancil, carrying 3 or 4 babies on their laps in the front seat.
Before we teach this group about baby seats, better we teach them about birthcontrol
They’ll buy smartphone than car seats lo
Govt vision is “cure is better than prevention”. Nonetheless, good job in implementing this. Better late than never.
Yeah okay, then walk the talk. By next week everything will be swept under the carpet and we will be where we were before, until of course another accident like this occurs.
The horror crash at Duke is very very sad indeed.Child seats safety …long long OVERDUE.No point having the VVIPs showering the orphaned girl now with so much compassion.
The authorities should have conducted preemptive strikes at all the STREET CAR REMPITS at those hot spots regularly,not when 3 lives are lost due to the FAST AND FURIOUS RACERS.
Also, the law should also be amended to charge all the owners of bikes who allow the SEVERELY UNDERAGED,for letting them roam without helmets,some carrying pillion riders.It is like putting a gun on the dinning table,walking off for a puff and letting the underage access to the gun.
A motorbike in the hands of the underage is a killing machine….and all these have been happening for donkey years.Maybe when some VVIP’s son got killed by the underage biker…..then only our sleeping minister will wake up from his slumber.
As usual,it takes this horrible accident to force our YAB in ordering the enforcement agencies to go after the culprits.
It is a sad situation.
My own family members tell me there is no need to use a baby/child seat. Just hold the baby in your hands and drive slowly.
Some of my friends who have baby/child seat only use them when they are driving alone because they want to “tie up” the children. Even then, it is installed wrongly. These are so called educated people with university degrees.
When I show them facts and also sad news such has the recent crash, comments range from bad luck, and it will never happen to you, just drive slowly lah etc. Always something else but not yourself.
Safety was and never is the concern.
I only hope someday it will.
My in-laws have this blasé attitude and have brought my husband up this way… It drives me nuts. I am from England and he Malaysia. They know I want my son in his car seat whenever he goes out but they think… ‘Oh, it’s just around the corner’ It could just be the wheels moving and an accident could happen! My ex-colleague’s 2 month old died in a car accident where the baby wasn’t restrained. It’s scary!
This should be implement immediately.
Malaysian lack of awareness on infant safety. Baby chair should be compulsory and without GST!!
totally agreed and the GOV to add this as a tax relieft item, to help reduce the RAKYAT’S stress.
“Ajal di tangan Tuhan”
I hope religious scholars stop spreading this half truth. While life and death is indeed determined by God, it is up to us to put in effort to stay alive.
Because fear is an efficient tool of management, religious scholars spread this mantra to put fear in us, and surrender our fate without even trying. They are more interested in gaining power/recognition/bangga la than to honestly tell us to live life to the fullest.
How to live life if we don’t care about safety? That’s gambling, not even living nor even trying to survive.
So caring about safety is the right thing to do. Don’t say “what for 10 airbags, traction control, baby seats, etc, if God say u die today, you’ll still die”, but question “how I know for sure God wants me dead today? I’d rather live, and if buying car with 6 airbags, traction control, proper baby seats can make sure of it and I can afford it, I’d take it.”
u must take measure to safe ur family n urself. if u or ur family still die..then “ajal ditangan tuhan” is correct. but at least u try.
I simply don’t understand parents who claim to love their children and have enough $$ to buy car but cannot spend a few more hundreds $$ to buy child seat for their love ones.
To parents who complaints that their child refuse to seat in one, start early.. as early as 6 months, consider buying child seat that come with good cool materials for the seat cover，seat that provide footrest and be super strict about it’s usage. Sooner or later, they gonna get used to it and love it.
Parents should do their part and make sure their children is safe especially with child seat.
My kids have been in child seats since birth and they still are. Oldest is 5 years and younger one is 3 years old. They know that they have to be strapped in at all times and they understand that it is for their own safety. Many parents here do not feel the need for a child seat and that is sad. Heck, many parents I see don’t even wear their seatbelts.
Many child seats sold in Malaysia don’t offer sufficient support for the child and like Sorchai said, many aren’t even installed properly. Govt should implement the use of child seats and enforce on it. Parents should be made aware that the cheap local child seats do not offer proper protection. A child seat must have a minimum of top tether or ISOFIX if your budget allows. I buy my child seats from overseas, which is cheaper and safer when installed properly. I also enrolled for a child seat installation course just so I’m sure that my kids are safe. Also, using the seatbelt for kids below 9 years old is not recommended.
So to parents out there, spend a little for our little ones. That new phone or handbag can wait. The life of your child is worth more than that.
If you can’t even afford to buy 1 child seat, then don’t have more than 1 kid. It’s harsh, but to me that’s what I believe in. Be a responsible parent and buckle the little one up.
I drive my Myvi to work in KL. Send my wife and 2 kids along the way to office and daycare, respectively. One is 3 year old, another is 8 year old.
Although I cannot afford (yet) a Honda Civic, I make sure to have 1 Child seat and 1 booster seat. Living in KL, you must know your limits. So, 2 children is enough for city dwellers. Once you’re in the habit of putting your seat belts on, it became automatic. You don’t need to be on the look out for police on motorbike peeking on your side window to waive you to a halt.
They cost me around 1k for the child seats. But it is money well spent. It gives me and wife that sense of comfort. Yeah, Myvi may be shitty, yes. But, it’s the least we can do, given our financial limits.
Looking at the recent accident in DUKE highway, first thing came to mind when I saw the picture is that, I think the family in the car, they are not wearing seat belts. I may be wrong. But the child seats are very sturdy. If you tie them up correctly, it won’t budge. Unless the whole seat comes off, that is a different story. Having said this, I’m not categorically putting the blame on the deceased.
My conclusion. Safety over anything else.
Malaysians are like babies having to be told what to do and what not to do. Seatbelts and child car seats are common sense for any sane human being yet malaysians need to be told to use em by the gomen before they start using it. Malaysians fear saman more than the idea that their child could be flung out of the car during a collision. Only in malaysia where people invented fake seat belt buckle to cheat the seat belt warning system.
With the current government in rule. I think we can wait till the moon raise from west to have a good execution of policies and law. Serious fatal bus accidents happened since over 10-20 years ago. Any improvement??
The government can even do it properly for the car safety for adult, how they care about children safety?
Do not hope much if this group of rubbish still sitting there.
This, will be a better law to implement then those glass tinting restrictions.
I can understand it might be an issue for family with limited financial capabilities… but equally they shouldn’t put their babies life in danger.
Those carrying 2 kids at the front seat has got to stop.
The more dangerous and pressing situation is having babies and toddlers ride on motorbike. That needs to be addressed first. Can the gov ban children from riding motorbikes ? I think not. A small child in a car unrestrained may be more safe than a child on a motorbike. A rule for child seats is just another burden for the poor family. When the family cannot afford a child seat, the police is going to fine them some more ?
No doubt your above mention is a real scenario for most kampung people. Me myself experienced it when I was in primary, mother used to carry 2-3 kids on kapcai.
But safety always come first before too late in my mind today. Instead of enforce the law to make more summon, the campaign or what so ever to educate the people is more meaningful. Of course remove the vehicle taxes should benefit most of the people(to own a good safety vehicle at very affordable price).
Got money to buy Pajero Sport. No money to buy child car seat. Top kek
u think G want to waste money so ppl to be safer? they got their own pocket to think of. GST make us suffer everyday, they don’t care baby life. maybe next election we change, then we see better policy!
shoooooooooooooooooooh shoooooh
Yessss. When PR takes over, close down Proton and only left P2 & Moving Coffin. Then we call it the Population Regression Program or PR Program to control the growth rate.
Ignorance has always been the cause! Parents know how to ‘make’ babies but not protect them properly in the car,giving reasons the child cry all the time because seating in the baby seat etc..what a sad situation.
somehow I feel that beside this child seat, DVR is also important for a car? if all cars have DVR, then we’ll have first hand video footage of the DUKE incident…
I support the cause, but what’s the point if our PDRM will not enforce it ?
Come to Cyberjaya, everyone here speeds 24/7. If you follow the law, you get flashed and honked at. People undertake more than they overtake. Even the police and government cars speed. Also, many foreign students here drive and park as if they own our roads… or drive second hand cars that are poorly maintained or not road-worthy. Nobody seems to care about road safety here, and Cyberjaya is actually a very nicely developed and highly potent city. Such a shame.
Sad story, the root course is our educational level and basic understanding of own responsibility no need government to impose anything.
Similar in throwing rubbish in public, it’s the foundamental thing that distinguish us our civic level, our responsibility to own self and others.
Those old enough still remember when seat belt was first imposed many years ago and the same ignorant reaction from all drivers.
It’s a sign of our society improvement as a whole…..
Malaysia Goverment Dilema!
Anything law and regulation will related to UNDI. Govern too scare with social media critic. The politician also take advantage any law intro by the Govern. Tinted, AES, Speed Track, Age of Car, rear Seat Belt (like chiken drop), Baby Seat etc, main owner will protest and the govern will pick the hand break!. Should be all the good thing for the people all parties must support and we will built the good culture, safety culture etc. Stop politicise the safety issue! Goven also must imposed safety fiture with minimum criteria for all new cars (or future car marketed in Malaysia). TRC/VSC, ABS/EBD, AirBag etc.
finally, an intelligent comment. yes, it is tricky nowadays i suppose. reminds me of the fact that the goods and services act 2014 was introduced and voted into law with opposition support. but it’s easy to turn around and make noise because people don’t know these things. anyone can suddenly disagree with anything in motion and seem to be the champion of the ‘rakyat’, even if it’s (actually) a positive, albeit hard thing to do
Sadly its not a money issue for many of the families I know. Its a lazy parent issue. I hear “my child complains when I out him in a car seat”. Kids rule the household because parents are too lazy to take the time to do it right and don’t want to deal with crying.