Report says Malaysia plans to cane illegal road racers
Posted: 18 April 2008 1107 hrs

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KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian authorities are planning to whip habitual illegal road racers under new traffic laws which could see them jailed for 10 years, reports said Friday.

Road racers, known locally as Mat Rempits, use souped-up motorcycles on the streets of the capital and surrounding countryside late at night, terrifying road users and causing frequent accidents.

Under the proposed beefed-up laws, first timers face a 5,000 ringgit (US$1,597) fine and a maximum five-year jail sentence as well as a three-year suspension, the Star daily reported.

"The penalty for second-time offenders would be a minimum 10 years' jail, three strokes of the cane... 10,000 ringgit (US$3,178) fine and not less than a five-year suspension of the driving licence," deputy traffic chief Hamza Taib told the paper.

Hamza said the new Act would also allow police to seize the motorcycles and dispose of them once a conviction has been obtained, the Star reported.

Action would also be taken against the organisers of such races, he told the paper. - AFP/ir