Call For Return Of Child Car Seat Subsidy As Usage Remains Low

Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has urged the government to bring back the child safety seat subsidy next year, saying many parents still struggle to afford them despite the law making it compulsory since 2020.

He said the cheapest child restraint system (CRS) starts from around RM200, a price that’s still out of reach for many families.

“The previous government had introduced a subsidy programme called MyCRS to encourage the usage of such seats among B40 households. The programme offered a rebate of up to 50% or up to RM150,” he said during the Dewan Rakyat debate on the 2026 Budget.

Syahredzan suggested reviving MyCRS using funds from the sale of special vehicle number plates, which earned the government RM45.9 million last year, and introducing a tax relief of up to RM1,000 for parents purchasing CRS seats.

His call comes amid worrying data from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), which found that only 30% of children are properly secured in child seats even though using one can cut the risk of death for kids aged four and below by as much as 71%.

The issue made headlines again last month after a one-year-old boy was killed in a crash at the Bukit Kajang toll plaza. The child, who was not in a safety seat, was thrown out of the car upon impact.

The case has reignited comments from Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who said, “This is a reminder to all. When the Transport Ministry mandates or encourages the use of child seats, many complain. "But this incident proves their importance,” defending his remarks on the matter and stressing that his priority is to remind parents about safety even if it means facing public criticism.