MOT, KPDN To Discuss Banning ‘Dummy Buckle’ Sale - Loke

KLANG, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Transport (MOT) together with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) will hold discussions on the banning of seat belt buckle disablers or 'dummy buckles' being sold in the market.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said these discusions will be held to examine the enforcement aspects of each ministry, as the sale of this device is seen to be widespread and in violation of road safety regulations.

"The use of these dummy buckles should not be allowed. However, enforcement (to curb the sale of  dummy buckles) does not fall under the MOT but instead is under the KPDN. We know most new vehicles nowadays have sensors (detectors), so if you don't wear a seat belt, there will be a sound.

"So, it indeed violates the regulations...because placing the 'dummy buckle' means not using the seatbelt," he said at a press conference after the Chinese New Year Celebration event and launch of the Malaysia Maritime Single Window (MMSW) at the KSL Convention Centre here today.

Negeri Sembilan Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Hanif Yusabra Yusuf was previously reported as saying that the use of devices to deactivate seat belt alarms and failure to wear seat belts properly by vehicle owners are becoming increasingly concerning trends.

He said this follows the highest notices issued during the Chinese New Year Special Operation (Op TBC) for the offence of not wearing seat belts, which amounted to 195 offences, with more than 30 per cent of them involving the use of that accessory.

Meanwhile, Loke's ban on the use of three-pin sockets and USB ports in all express buses on Nov 6 last year is still in effect until new wiring policies and guidelines are issued by the MOT.

He said that currently a standard for the installation of cables and sockets in buses is also being developed by the Energy Commission and Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), and is expected to be completed as early as May.

The media previously reported that a teenage boy died, believed to have been electrocuted, while trying to charge his handphone in a socket in an express bus in Penang Sentral at 6.10 pm on Nov 1, last year.

-- BERNAMA