>PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Perodua will retrofit 435,000 Kancil, Kelisa, Kenari and Kembara cars manufactured since 1995 with rear seat belts for free. Models manufactured before 1995 will be exempted as they do not have anchorage points.
The exercise will begin on Dec 15 at all 43 Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd branches nationwide and run for three years.
Perodua is conducting the exercise in compliance with the government ruling making it compulsory for all three rear passengers to buckle up.
The Act will come into force on Jan 1. Car owners will have a 3-year grace period to get rear seat belts installed.
Customers are encouraged to make an appointment to avoid delays. Each retrofit will take 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the model.
Cars that have been fitted with rear seat belts will receive a compliance sticker with special security features.
"Those who own cars that cannot be fitted with rear seat belts must bring their cars in to obtain an exemption sticker," said Corporate Planning Department deputy general manager Abidullah Mohd Omar at the Road Safety Department yesterday.
Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said there were 4.2 per cent more deaths on the roads from January to October this year than during the same period last year.
"The fatality rate of motorcyclists spiked by 14.2 per cent, with 404 more deaths than last year," he said.
