Illegal racing: Govt proposes tabling amendments to Road Transport Act this October

KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to table amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in October towards combating illegal racing and mat rempit (illegal motorcycle racers) activities in the country.

Deputy Home Minister ll, Datuk Jonathan Yasin said the proposed amendments included action against the spectators of illegal racing and penalties against workshops that modify motorcycles to be used for illegal racing.

"There was a discussion last Aug 8 and some proposals were submitted by the Home Ministry to the Transport Ministry on enacting the proposed amendments so that the law is stricter in terms of the penalties.

"The existing fines or prison sentences need to be increased. However, this is still under discussion and is likely to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat," he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara today.

The supplementary question came from Senator N.Balasubramaniam on amendments to the law to combat illegal racing as well as the number of operations conducted against this menace.

Jonathan said that based on the 'Operasi Samseng Jalanan' (operations against road thugs) conducted by the Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department (JSPT), a total of 1,451 offenders were arrested from January 2022 until June this year.

According to him, 1,258 summonses were also issued and 2,200 vehicles seized for investigation.

On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's proposal for a special circuit for drag racing be built in each state, Jonathan said the proposal was good in the effort to boost motorsports.

However, he said feedback from the state governments showed the idea received little enthusiasm from young people, including in Penang and Selangor which already have special circuits.

-- BERNAMA