Budget 2022: Subsidy for child car seats is to save lives, says Wee

PETALING JAYA: The 50% subsidy for the B40 group to buy child car seats is to reduce road fatalities involving children, says the Transport Ministry.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the incentive, announced in Budget 2022, shows the government's concern towards safety on the roads for children.

"In 2019, 19% of road accidents in the country involved children. Of this total, some 1,276 cases ended in fatalities.

"Due to this, RM30mil has been allocated in Budget 2022 to allow 188,000 recipients from the B40 group to enjoy 50% rebate or up to RM150 incentive to buy child restraint systems (CRS).

"This rebate will definitely ease the burden of the B40 group to buy CRS and at the same time, ensure the safety of children who are the nation's future assets," said Dr Wee on Friday (Oct 29).

Dr Wee said the Transport Ministry had been allocated RM5.58bil in Budget 2022, of which RM1.527bil is for its operating expenditure and RM4.053bil for development costs.

He also praised the continuation of the MyRail5 initiative, where students and the disabled can enjoy unlimited KTM services for RM5 a month.

"This initiative will help reduce the burden of students and the disabled affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, this will encourage more people to use public transport," he said.

Dr Wee said the RM115mil allocation to implement the RM50 unlimited train and bus pass initiative, as well as RM80mil for the Stage Bus Assistance Fund, shows the government's commitment towards public transportation.

On the road tax exemption for energy efficient vehicles (EEV), Dr Wee said the move is in line with the National Transport Policy, which supports the green vehicle initiative.

Dr Wee also welcomed the RM209mil subsidy for rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak, which he said would benefit those living in the states' interior areas.

"This subsidy is part of the government's commitment to help those living in rural Sabah and Sarawak to connect to urban areas, as air transport is their main mode of travel," said Dr Wee.

He also said the addition of 20 new mobile counters and 100 computer kiosks for the Road Transport Department (JPJ) would improve its services.

"The ministry has been allocated 100 kiosks complete with computer facilities for its Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) services.

"Besides providing counter services after hours, these new facilities will also help improve JPJ's online services," said Dr Wee.