JPJ To Enforce Mandatory Seatbelt Rules To Residential School Buses

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) is moving to make seatbelts compulsory on all buses operated by fully residential schools and higher education institutions.

Its director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli told Bernama that starting next month, state-level technical and enforcement teams will begin working with institutions to inspect their buses.

“These checks will be done in phases due to manpower limitations,” he said, adding that the initiative aims to raise safety standards across all educational transport fleets.

“Most residential schools and universities have their own buses. We want to make sure these vehicles are properly maintained, meet specifications, and that their drivers follow road safety rules,” he stressed. 

The department is also urging passengers to report faulty, broken, or missing seatbelts by submitting photo or video evidence with journey details via the MyJPJ app or email.

With recent cases involving school buses, on top of last month’s fatal UPSI crash that killed 15 students, many believe this is a long-overdue move.

While the mandate is a step in the right direction, it should also come with strict penalties for non-compliance to ensure real accountability.