The enforcement in the use of the children’s car restraint system (CRS) in vehicles will be done in stages to create awareness to society on the importance of CRS, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

‘’We want to start this initiative but it is more towards the issue of educating first, to educate and to give awareness to the public and enforcement will be done in stages,’’ he told reporters after a monthly gathering of the Transport Ministry in Putrajaya today.

The government is making mandatory the use of CRS in cars from Jan 1 to protect children from serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

Asked whether the government planned to give subsidy to poor parents who could not fulfil the regulation over CRS, Loke said there was no such provision for it.

‘’However, we have asked for a five per cent reduction in SST (Sales and Service Tax) while the import tax had been abolished. Definitely, when the demand is high, I am confident the price of a CRS will drop in the domestic market,’’ he added. 

- Bernama