BMW Group Malaysia, together with its long-term partner Safe ‘n Sound, today announced the new NEXTStep Subsidy Programme that aims to provide fully-subsidised child car seats to the B40 families. The programme is introduced on the back of a successful subsidy programme back in 2019 that saw over 300 subsidised child car seats delivered to parents across Malaysia.
Introduced as part of the BMW Safety 360 initiative, the new NEXTStep Subsidy Programme will provide parents with child car seats for children of up to 36 kg, with donations previously made by BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia.
BMW Group Malaysia and Safe ‘n Sound will be fully subsidising the seats, including shipping fees to recipients outside the Klang Valley. Eligible parents will be notified by Safe ‘n Sound via WhatsApp; selected parents from outside the Klang Valley will be notified on the delivery status, while parents within the Klang Valley will be informed of a date, time and place to pick up their new child car seat.
A suitable seat from the company’s range of products will be selected for the recipient according to their child’s respective weight and height, as well as vehicle requirements. These seats include:
- snskidz Ace – From birth to 13 kg, worth RM199
- snskidz Whizz ISOFIX seat – From birth to 18 kg, worth RM499
- snskidz Sport seat – From birth to 18 kg, worth RM279
- snskidz Proto seat (ISOFIX optional) Between 13 kg to 36 kg, worth RM399
- mifold booster seat – Between 15 kg to 36 kg, worth RM199
“For over eight years, the BMW Safety 360° initiative has focused on raising awareness and encouraging action amongst families for more responsible road and car safety practices in Malaysia,” said BMW Group Malaysia Managing Director, Hans de Visser.
“Although we have placed a strong emphasis on child car seats in recent years with our many programmes and partnerships to advocate for the use of these seats, we recognise that the issue of low uptake must be tackled beyond verbal advocacy and partial subsidies, especially within communities that are in need in a time like this. With the NEXTStep Subsidy Programme, we aim to continue making child safety seats even more accessible to parents who can use a helping hand.”
The programme is applicable for families nationwide expecting a newborn or with a child of up to 36 kg, and with a monthly household income below RM 3,500. Registration for the subsidy programme is now open on Safe ‘n Sound’s website (linked here), and will close on 22 May 2022.
