New passenger cars must have electronic stability control - Liow

Describing ESC as the most cost-effective life saving device at present, he said studies from all over the world also showed that ESC could prevent at least 40 per cent of deaths due to loss of control crashes.

"As we know, Malaysia is a tropical country, rains all the time, roads are quite slippery, while the police investigations showed more than 45 per cent of fatal incidents caused by instability or unable to control the car.

"So, we need a stable car and with the new gadget, ESC can further reduce risk of collision by having significantly better maneuvering control during critical situation," he told a press conference after launching 'Stop the Crash ASEAN' at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) here Tuesday.

Also present were Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and Global New Car Assessment Programme Secretary-General David Ward.

Liow said in terms of cost-benefit ratio, ESC was between eight and 14 times better than head-restraint system, 18 times better than the centre belt and 10 to 28 times higher than advanced airbag.

He said as safe system approach, safer vehicle and safer road could really minimise the injury outcome of a crash, even though humans made error while driving.

"So, with this commitment, the Malaysian Government is taking an important step forward in road safety and will be the first ASEAN country to mandate the ESC," adding that countries such as the European Union (EU), United States, Canada, Turkey, Australia, Japan and South Korea also mandated the ESC.

On another note, he said the government was currently establishing eCall System, which would automatically notify the emergency services with accurate crash information within the shortest possible duration.