KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Road Transport Department officers yesterday issued 242 summonses within two hours of it becoming mandatory for rear seat passengers to buckle up.

The operations to catch violators of the ruling, which took effect at 12.01am after months of awareness campaigns, were conducted along with the Road Safety Department and police.

Until June 30, rear seat passengers will be issued a RM300(S$124.7) compound fine for not wearing the seat belt. After that, they face either a RM2,000 fine, a year's jail or both.

The 242 summonses were issued at 28 locations nationwide, said RTD enforcement director Salim Parlan.

The operations, mounted from as early as 10pm on Wednesday in conjunction with the New Year countdown, were also to nab motorists for other offences as well.

Salim said summonses had to be issued as awareness campaigns had been conducted for months and motorists had plenty of time to be informed of the new ruling.

He said the number of summonses issued showed that there were still drivers and rear-seat passenger who had decided to ignore the warnings and campaigns.

"Road users should not disobey the ruling."

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