PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Local car manufacturers Proton and Perodua will start retrofitting cars with rear seat belts beginning next month.

This is in line with the Government's decision to enforce the use of seat belts by rear-seat passengers from Jan 1 next year.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said Proton would begin retrofitting rear seat belts on Dec 1 for its customers in Peninsular Malaysia and Jan 1 for those in Sabah and Sarawak, while Perodua's exercise would kick off on Dec 15.

"We hope car owners will start making appointments with manufacturers to retrofit their cars with rear seat belts and later, ensure their passengers buckle up," he told a press conference here yesterday.

The rear seat belt rule took effect on June 1 and by Jan 1, all rear-seat passengers will have to use seat belts, a move aimed at reducing injuries and fatalities in accidents.

Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd corporate planning deputy general-manager Abidullah Mohd Omar said about 430,000 Perodua cars would be retrofitted with rear seat belts for free, at the company's 43 branches nationwide.

Proton group quality division general manager Azmi Idris said the company was ready to retrofit rear centre lap seat belts for 225,930 of its cars made between 2004 and 2006. Azmi said the affected models were the earlier Proton Saga and Gen2 as these cars were fitted with only two rear seat belts.

"Customers can make appointments by calling our care line or through our website," he said.

Suret Singh warned that those found holding their children in the front passenger seat risked facing the embarrassment of being told to move them to the back seat.

"It may be a bit unpleasant, but we will ask them to move the child to the back seat," Suret Singh said later yesterday, after a road safety advocacy campaign at the Gombak toll plaza.

"A child should never be carried in front, and should always be in the back seat.

"We recommend a baby seat for children up to a year old and a child safety seat for children up to four years old," he added.

He said they were looking at making the child seat compulsory in the future but had to first ensure it was affordable.

"We want to educate people first. We have spoken to the Automobile Association of Malaysia for promotional packages or instalment plans. The association has also agreed to rent out child seats for a year," he added.

At yesterday's campaign, Suret Singh distributed 50 first aid kits, sponsored by a private company, to motorists.