Child restraint system (CRS) can protect children in the event of crash and reduce the severity of injuries. As such, it
is crucial to understand the prevalence of CRS usage and knowledge attributes on CRS usage among drivers. This
study aims to assessdrivers’ knowledge on CRS usage.A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and pilot tested
to verify its validity and reliability. The questionnaireaddressesdrivers’ knowledge about CRS currently available in
the Malaysian market, the types of restraints used and views on fitting restraints to passenger vehicles. Seventy four
percentfrom 500 respondents cited that they are usingor theyhave used CRS,64% knowabout CRS and its function, and
43% areawareof ISOFIX. In short, majority of the respondents are aware of CRS use and functions. Awareness and
education program should berigorously introduced to public towards the implementation of the CRS law.
Oil palm is an important economic crop for Malaysia. Genetic engineering could be applied to produce transgenic oil palms with high value-added fatty acids and novel products to ensure the sustainability of the palm oil industry. Establishment of a reliable transformation and regeneration system is essential for genetic engineering. Biolistic was initially chosen as the method for oil palm transformation as it has been the most successful method for monocotyledons to date. Optimization of physical and biological parameters, including testing of promoters and selective agents, was carried out as a prerequisite for stable transformation. This has resulted in the successful transfer of reporter genes into oil palm and the regeneration of transgenic oil palm, thus making it possible to improve the oil palm through genetic engineering. Besides application of the Biolistics method, studies on transformation mediated by Agrobacterium and utilization of the green fluorescent protein gene as a selectable marker gene have been initiated. Upon the development of a reliable transformation system, a number of useful targets are being projected for oil palm improvement. Among these targets are high-oleate and high-stearate oils, and the production of industrial feedstock such as biodegradable plastics. The efforts in oil palm genetic engineering are thus not targeted as commodity palm oil. Due to the long life cycle of the palm and the time taken to regenerate plants in tissue culture, it is envisaged that commercial planting of transgenic palms will not occur any earlier than the year 2020.