OVERLOAD YOUR VEHICLE WITH IMPUNITY says MALAYSIAN MOT

All aboard! In Malaysia 'semua boleh'! (In Malaysia anything goes)

In Malaysia no enforcement action will be taken if the number of rear seat passengers in a car exceeds the number of rear seat belts available.

Minister of Transport Ong Tee Keat said this was because each vehicle only had three rear seat belts installed as required by the government. Wow! What an observant chap he is.

I personally have never seen any standard saloon car with seats for more than three persons at the back

He was reported by BERNAMA to have said on 17^th June 2008.

"We are aware of such cases involving families with more than three children each and it's the only car they can afford to have. We understand this.

"We will not take action if the fourth rear passenger is not wearing a seat belt. But our position in this matter should not encourage people to overload their vehicles."

Enforcement is something that is patchy at best in Malaysia, drivers of all vehicles, including public service vehicles are virtually free to drive as they wish, ignoring speed limits, and any other restrictions.

Regarding the maximum number of passenger permitted to be carried, don’t the motor vehicle insurers and also the vehicle manufacturers specify the maximum number of passengers any vehicle can accommodate?

In some areas, Malaysia has almost first world infrastructure, but still has many people with a third world mentality, including apparently some of Malaysia’s ministers, for example the Minister of Transport!

How shameful and embarrassing.

Qui tacet consentit

- Silence gives consent