Crackdown urged on hazardous car gadgets

The Star

18 hours ago

PETALING JAYA: Consumer groups and road safety advocates are calling for an immediate clampdown on the sale of dummy buckles and related accessories, both online and in stores.
This is despite the looming ban on the import of these accessories into Malaysia by the year-end.
Federation of Malaysian Con­sumers Associations chief executive officer Saravanan Thambi­rajah said their continued availability demonstrates a gap in regulatory enforcement.
'Online marketplaces should not become loopholes for banned or dangerous products to reach consumers.
'Similarly, physical retail shops, especially car accessory outlets, need to be monitored, and any attempt to sell existing stock of dummy buckles and related items after the ban must result in firm penalties,' he said, urging for e-commerce platforms to be held accountable for their content.
Checks over several online platforms as at press time yesterday also showed that dummy seat belt buckles are readily available and cost well under RM10.
Dummy buckles and similar accessories are used by inserting them into the seat belt buckle to disable or bypass the safety reminders issued, rendering the seat belt mechanism inoperative.
Beyond dummy buckles, Saravanan expressed concerns over other unregulated accessories like high-intensity discharge or LED headlights, excessively loud exhausts and vehicle suspension modifications.
'A thorough review of such accessories is needed and bans should be imposed where the risks clearly outweigh the benefits.
'Online platforms selling car parts should be required to undergo periodic audits to ensure they are not inadvertently promoting illegal or dangerous products,' he added.
He also urged for continuous educational campaigns to inform the public that using dummy buckles or tampering with vehicle safety systems can be fatal.
'It is not just about imposing a ban but ensuring policies are followed through with serious enforcement, clear accountability and wide-reaching public education,' he said.
Road Safety Council of Malaysia executive council member Datuk Suret Singh said there must be an immediate crackdown on dummy buckles.
'How can there be a six-month period given until the import ban is imposed? We already know this is a prevalent issue.
'Online or physical sales, or any form of possession, should be penalised as it undermines road safety efforts,' he said.
Suret said not using a seat belt can result in serious injuries in event of an accident, especially when the airbag activates.