"Mat rempit" among 22 youths slapped with RM1,000 compound for defying CMCO

Seven "Mat Rempit" (illegal motorcycle racers) were among 22 people slapped with the RM1,000 compound each for defying the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) yesterday.

Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said 15 of them, who are secondary school students and from institutions of higher learning, aged between 18 and 25, were caught playing basketball at Taman Teratai Indah here.

"Prior to that, the police have warned them against engaging in such sports activity. Yesterday was the second time they were approached by the police for playing basketball there," he told reporters here today.

On the "Mat Rempit", he said, they were caught while gathering at a fuel station in Jalan Penaga, Kepala Batas near here.

"When questioned by the police, they were not able to provide valid reasons for being at the fuel station and checks on their motorcycles found that the machine had been modified and had no road tax," he added.

He said four of them, who are secondary school students aged between 13 and 16, had no driving licence.

Prior to that, he said, the police were informed on an illegal motorcycle racing by a group of boys in the area.

-- BERNAMA