SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA: From July, the fine for car passengers who do not belt up will be a maximum of RM2,000 or up to a year's jail.

The penalty for the first six months of the belt-up-in-the-back-seat law, beginning from Thursday when it comes into force, is a fine of up to RM300 -- the same as for those in the front who don't fasten their seat belts.

Road Transport director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said yesterday that the heavy fine was to make the public comply quickly.

"Malaysians like to procrastinate. So, for the first six months, the fine will be RM300, then it will be RM2,000."

He was speaking after launching a Road Transport Department operation to check vehicles at the Batu 3 Toll plaza.

Under the new rules, all motor vehicle passengers have to wear seat belts except for:

- vehicles registered before Jan 1, 1995;

- vehicles registered after Jan 1, 1995, but without anchorage points;

- commercial vehicles including taxis and rental cars;

- vehicles with more than eight passengers (not including driver); and

- goods vehicles with a maximum load limit of 3.5 tonnes.

Solah said vehicles manufactured after Jan 1, 1995, which had rear anchorage points but had no seat belts had up to three years to install them.

Manufacturers like Proton, Perodua and Honda had agreed to retrofit the seat belts for free, and it was expected that 227,000 Proton, 235,000 Perodua and 35,000 Honda vehicles would be retrofitted.

Solah said the move was the second stage of a programme to improve safety among car passengers.

"In the third stage, infants will be required to be placed in infant seats.

"The time for enforcement of the third stage will depend on how long the people take to adopt the new safety precautions." --NST