KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The government has struck a deal with car manufacturers to provide and install rear seat belts without charge in locally-manufactured cars soon. Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said a memorandum of understanding would be signed in the next few days.

The companies would retrofit cars which did not come with rear seat belts, he said, after opening the "Five Renowned Contemporary Ink Painting Artists" exhibition at Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia yesterday.

He declined to name the manufacturers, saying that it would be revealed at the signing ceremony.

Other car assemblers have also given good response to the rear seat-belt ruling.

He added that the ministry had also had discussions with corporate organisations to set up a fund to standardise the installation cost of safety belts for all cars.

Ong said what mattered most was not the money but the safety of the passengers.

Research done by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) found that wearing safety belts reduced casualties and deaths among back-seat passengers.

It was reported that some 350 back-seat passengers die in accidents each year.

The rear seat-belt ruling began yesterday, where passengers seated in the back must buckle up. However, the government will not be enforcing it yet.

"We want to give an advocacy period so that Malaysians will train themselves to buckle up and become used to it."

However, contrary to the previous reports which said the enforcement would start in August, Ong said summonses would only be issued after six months.

It was reported last year that those who broke the law when it comes into force would be fined RM80.

Ong said cars manufactured from 1995 onwards, which do not have rear seat belts, need to have them fitted with the safety device but owners would be given a three-year grace period.

"I hope they won't wait until the last minute, though."

However, there are exceptions for Perodua Kenari and Kancil, which were rolled out between 1998 and 2004, because they do not have anchorage points and so cannot have rear seat belts retrofitted.

Later, Ong, who is also Selangor MCA chief, said he would meet Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan this week to discuss the issue of secret society members being involved in the ruckus over the Bandar Mahkota Cheras road barricade last week.

The cabinet decided on Friday that the disputed toll-free access road to the Cheras-Kajang Highway would remain open until the matter was settled in court.