FIVE dead and a few injured. That was the price of a Mat Rempit race in the early hours of July 17 on the Lim Chong Eu Expressway in Penang. While I sympathise with the innocent victims, I wonder why the authorities are not able to deal with the menace, which has been going on for over two decades, despite having the resources to do so.
These are not “accidents” like any other. The races are a deliberate act of using motorcycles for an illegal purpose, and worse still, on public roads, thus endangering not only the racers but also innocent road users.
Despite police action that has been reported from time to time, the menace continues unabated, thus proving that the authorities have failed to contain these Mat Rempits. The frustrated police have even rebranded them as “samseng jalanan” (street hoodlums or thugs). But this has not changed anything.
The law clearly makes their activities on public roads illegal and subject to penalties. It even provides for the motorcycles to be confiscated. The Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2020, with enhanced penalties for certain offences (including reckless and dangerous driving/riding), came into effect on Oct 23, 2020. But it has not deterred the Mat Rempits.
Laws may be a deterrent to
civic-conscious persons, but not the likes of Mat Rempits. They are defiant and aggressive in their behaviour. If enforcement does not send a strong message to them, they will continue with their irresponsible behaviour.
Since normal laws and law enforcement do not work, isn’t there any other solution?
What did Bank Negara Malaysia do to stop people defacing bank notes (at that time, there were RM1,000 notes)? Having got tired of advising people not to deface the notes, it came up with a simple yet most effective way of stopping this vandalism. Defaced notes were declared non-legal tender, and overnight the culture disappeared.
In the case of Mat Rempits, their motorcycles can be equated to the defaced bank notes. Take drastic action and render them unusable, .i.e. turn them into scrap, just like confiscated ivory and drugs that are destroyed. How many motorcycles are the Mat Rempits willing to sacrifice? As long as they can get their motorcycles back after paying the penalties, they will be at it again.
Another amendment ought to be made to the law immediately to the effect that motorcycles used for illegal racing on any public road will be mandatorily confiscated and turned to scrap. Let them pay the penalty with their “machines”. Sending them to jail would only burden taxpayers.
Sometimes, it is necessary to be cruel to be kind.
Numerous lives have been lost and injuries caused due to the reckless and negligent culture of the Mat Rempits. The hazard caused by them can be quickly ended if there is a strong will to do so. The cheapest and best way to rid the roads of them is to scrap their motorcycles.
A drastic situation calls for drastic measures. Therefore, the authorities should not hesitate to take firm action to combat this ongoing menace.
By turning confiscated modified motorcycles used for racing to scrap may deter the Mat Rempits, and the roads can soon be free of them.
We cannot turn a blind eye any longer and allow innocent victims to pay the price for these delinquents.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
