Prioritise safety if Mat Rempit allowed to race in the city - Youth leaders

The proposal to allow mat rempit to race in certain designated areas in the city is "good in principle", according to the Malaysian Youth Council, but it added that the authorities should take into consideration the safety of the riders and the public before giving the go-ahead for such races. Its President Muammar Ghadafi said guidelines should be drawn up to ensure that the racers meet all the safety requirements, including donning helmets, and suitable jackets and gloves.

"The roads to be designated for this purpose should be carefully selected in order not to cause any inconvenience to the public. They should also be far away from congested areas, as well as housing areas," he told Bernama.

He said such "organised" activities would give the mat rempit the opportunity to show off their riding skills.

Yesterday, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said that talks were underway to designate certain areas in Kuala Lumpur for the mat rempit to race. He said the move would allow the illegal racers to race in a safe environment. Selangor Youth Council Secretary-General Azwan Mat Yasir welcomed the move, saying that it would give the mat rempit a chance to indulge in racing in a legal and safer environment.

He said the organisers should impose affordable fees if it wanted to charge motorcyclists intending to participate in the city races.

"Previously, they could race on the Batu Tiga circuit in Shah Alam for a fee of RM20 for a specific duration. When the circuit was closed, they went to the Sepang circuit, where it cost them RM100 to RM200. The steep rates are putting them off from racing there," he said.

Felda Youth Council President Anuar Manap said the organisers should ensure that the mat rempit did not exceed the time limit allocated to them for racing on the designated routes.

"The routes should be safe and their racing should not disrupt other public activities. Action should be taken against the racers if they continue racing after the time limit," he said.

Malaysian Tamil Youth Bell Club President K. Murali, meanwhile, said he was not in favour of Tengku Adnan's proposal as he felt that it would encourage illegal racing activities and cause many social problems to arise as well.

"As we can't possibly restrict people from coming to watch the races, it will lead to a situation where boys and girls will mingle freely and many of them may also be underage," he said.

He said it would be better for youths to race on circuits or tracks that are already available, like the one in Sepang. If the cost of using proper racing circuits was too high, then the authorities concerned should consider reducing the rates to make them more affordable for the mat rempit community, he added.