Post by : Meena Ariff

The Road Transport Department, also known as JPJ, has started using undercover officers to check if bus drivers and passengers are wearing their seatbelts. This means that some JPJ officers will sit quietly in buses without wearing their uniform so that no one knows they are checking.

The director of JPJ Kedah, Stien Van Lutam, said this secret checking helps them catch people who do not follow the rules. He explained that JPJ will not only check at normal roadblocks, bus stations, or resting places. Now, they will sit inside buses like normal passengers. If someone is not wearing a seatbelt and there is photo or video proof, they will be fined immediately.

He said, “Wearing a seatbelt is very important for your own safety. If there is an accident, the seatbelt stops you from being thrown out of your seat and getting badly hurt.”

He shared this information while leading a special seatbelt checking operation at the Alor Setar Toll Plaza yesterday. The operation started at 4.30 pm and JPJ officers checked 18 express and tour buses. During this check, they gave 16 fines to passengers who were not wearing seatbelts and gave two people a warning.

When the officers checked the buses, they also found that many buses had seatbelts that were broken or could not be used. JPJ said that they will continue to work with the police and other related agencies to do these checks again in the future to make sure everyone is safe.

Stien Van Lutam reminded all bus companies to make sure that the seatbelts on their buses are working properly. He said, “Sometimes the seatbelts are there but they are damaged or cannot be used. This is unfair because passengers want to follow the rules but they cannot if the seatbelts are broken.”

From now on, JPJ will strictly make sure that all bus drivers and passengers use their seatbelts at all times. This rule follows the Motor Vehicles (Seat Belts and Child Restraint Systems) Regulations 1978 Amendment (2008). The main aim is to keep everyone safe when they are travelling on buses.