KOTA BARU: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will enforce the installation and use of seat belts for all express and tour buses starting July 1.

Its director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the initial phase will focus on enforcement for drivers and passengers of express and tour buses, in line with existing regulations requiring seat belts to be installed in buses registered after January 1, 2020.

“Previously, we emphasised advocacy, but beginning July 1, enforcement action will be taken against passengers who fail to wear seat belts, something that has not been implemented until now,” he said after JPJ’s Setia Khas assembly yesterday, Bernama reported.

Aedy Fadly said buses registered before 2020 will be given a specific period to install seat belts.

“We are currently reviewing and conducting sessions with the industry to allow bus operators time to install seat belts for passenger seats,” he said.

Aedly Fadly added that the department has informed the industry that a standard operating procedure must be established at the company level to ensure drivers and passengers wear seat belts before the bus moves.

A guideline will also be issued to operators to ensure compliance with the new ruling, he said, adding that non-compliance could result in RM300 fines not only for passengers and drivers, but also legal action against bus companies for failing to ensure passenger safety.

“With most buses now fitted with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, the department will use video footage as evidence to act against drivers who do not ensure passengers are buckled up,” he said.

Aedly Fadly said the same seat belt regulations will be enforced on drivers and passengers of goods vehicles with a permissible maximum weight of up to 3,500kg.

On another matter, he said about 64% of commercial vehicle operators audited during the special operation on safety audit system guidelines failed to meet mandatory safety requirements.

Of the 133 companies operating commercial vehicles that were audited, 85 failed to comply with the guidelines.

Among key violations were lack of a Global Positioning System (GPS) installed in all vehicles, poor GPS monitoring practices and failure to record drivers’ working hours, which must not exceed eight hours a day.

“We also found many did not ensure a minimum 30-minute break after every four hours of driving.

“Some companies had no safety action plans in place and did not display hotline numbers or the names of responsible officers on their vehicles for public complaints,” he said.

Aedy Fadly added that the list of non-compliant companies would be submitted to the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) for further action, including possible suspension or cancellation of operating licences.