Malaysian Authorities Intensify Safety Checks on Bus Passengers for Seatbelt Compliance
A recent viral post has reignited debates over bus passenger safety in Malaysia after a passenger shared an unsettling experience on social media. The individual described being jolted awake during a routine long-distance bus journey when officers from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) boarded the vehicle in Melaka to conduct a sudden inspection.
The incident, which took place just after the bus had crossed into Melaka, saw officers checking whether passengers were wearing seatbelts. According to the passenger’s post, the bus driver had reminded everyone to fasten their seatbelts before departure. However, some passengers neglected the instruction. As a result, at least one individual was fined RM200 for failing to buckle up, sparking a flurry of online discussions questioning the practicality and enforcement of seatbelt rules on buses.
Passengers Express Surprise Over Seatbelt Rules on Buses
The social media post, which quickly gained traction, prompted hundreds of comments from netizens expressing disbelief. Many users confessed they were unaware that buses even had seatbelts, let alone that fastening them was mandatory. Some questioned the consistency of enforcement, noting that in many cases, bus seatbelts are damaged or missing altogether, and wondered if such checks were merely temporary measures with limited follow-through.
One netizen quipped that the Malaysian government’s enforcement of road safety laws tends to last “at most one week” before fading into obscurity, referencing past short-lived campaigns like household waste segregation checks. Another passenger recounted their own experience, claiming they once faced a similar situation where officers mistakenly boarded their bus but left without issuing any fines.
Public Questions Responsibility: Passengers or Bus Operators?
The episode has also ignited debates over who should bear primary responsibility for seatbelt compliance on buses. While some commenters argued that passengers should take personal responsibility for fastening seatbelts, others insisted that bus operators must ensure the availability and functionality of seatbelts to comply with road safety regulations.
Several netizens stressed that many major bus companies either fail to maintain seatbelts or intentionally remove them, leaving passengers with no option but to ride unbelted. Some even shared that buses they had taken recently had seatbelts that were cut off or jammed, rendering them unusable. A few voiced concerns that the focus should be on holding bus companies accountable first before penalising individual passengers, suggesting stricter oversight of operators to ensure all buses meet safety standards.
Authorities Urged to Sustain Road Safety Enforcement
Many Malaysians believe that consistent and fair enforcement is key to improving road safety and reducing the frequency of tragic bus accidents, which often result in severe injuries or fatalities. Road safety advocates highlight that wearing seatbelts significantly increases survival rates in crashes, and enforcing this requirement for bus passengers should not be a temporary measure driven by viral incidents.
The case has become a rallying point for public calls demanding better maintenance of buses, improved safety briefings from drivers, and robust inspections from authorities. As Malaysians continue to rely heavily on buses for intercity travel, many hope that this incident will push the government and transport operators to take passenger safety more seriously, ensuring seatbelts are not only available but also actively used by everyone on board.