A photo from Ministry of Superbike Singapore has been making the rounds of Facebook, showing a banner set up at an unnamed Royal Malaysian Customs checkpoint. The wording on the banner, in English, says that individuals are prohibited from bringing in a helmet into Malaysia that does not comply with standards.
The quality standards in question are United Nations Regulation R22 for protective helmets and visors and Malaysian Standard 1 (MS)1 specifications for protective helmets for vehicle users. The notice states that any person bringing a non-compliant helmet into Malaysia without proper permit (sic) from the JPJ will be detained by Customs.
However, the notice fails to state if such a ruling applies to helmets currently used by the rider or for helmets imported new into the country, having been bought overseas and hand carried into Malaysia for personal use. The author, having travelled extensively overseas for motorcycle tests and reviews, has always carried his own helmet and not faced a single problem entering a foreign country or re-entering Malaysia.
This regulation has taken many by surprise with comments about the lack of transparency in the implementation as the vagueness of the wording. We have reached out to Customs and will update if we get any news.
What do you think? Another bureaucratic hurdle that inconveniences the rakyat or necessary regulation to prevent the import of substandard safety equipment? Leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions.
The post Can you bring your motorcycle helmet into Malaysia? appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
