Two spectators killed in racing buggy race

KUANTAN: A man and his five-year-old daughter were killed while his wife and son were among several others injured after a racing buggy went off the track and ploughed into spectators during a race at Indera Mahkota, near here yesterday.
Izwan Isa, 39, died at the scene in the 11.30am incident and his daughter Nur Zulaikha succumbed to her injuries at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital. Both had sustained severe head injuries.
Izwan's wife Siti Suhaiza Seman and seven-year-old son Muhammad Izz Danial sustained serious injuries. At least five other people were reportedly injured in the incident during the Education Innovation Motorsports and Automotive Race (Eimarace) at the Sukpa Complex.
The tragedy occurred when a racing buggy apparently went out of control and crashed into plastic barriers placed along the race track.
In an immediate reaction, Eimarace director Prof Aminuddin Abu said the spectators who were involved in the incident should not have been standing behind the plastic barriers which was a restricted area.
"We express our condolences to the affected family. (But) the spectators were in a restricted area and brought this upon themselves. Spectators are supposed to sit at the allocated area," he said.
Aminuddin added however that the event organisers will enhance safety aspects in future and will no longer hold such races in an open circuit.
Eimarace was organised by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with the cooperation of Tourism Pahang to promote motor sports to the youth in addition to exposing their soft skills. The race was cancelled following the tragedy.
Meanwhile, a witness who declined to be named told theSun the affected family members were part of a crowd standing at the shoulder of the track barriers to watch the race.
"The racing buggy was driven by a racer who apparently lost control of his 131cc vehicle and smashed into the plastic barriers before crashing into the victims," he said.
Meanwhile, netizens questioned the safety aspects and slammed the organisers for using flimsy and unapproved barricades.
Safety measures normally used to make race tracks safe include energy absorbing barriers and vehicle traps filled with soft materials, sandbags and old tyres.