For years, Malaysian drivers have endured the noisy and often dangerous antics of mat rempits (illegal racers) revving their engines in the dead of night and endangering others and themselves by performing stunts at breakneck speeds.
As such, the authorities have increased their efforts in clamping down on mat rempit activities, even if it means resorting to dramatic means to do so.
Johor police uses 2 buses to block mat rempits during operation
In a 2-minute long clip which was originally uploaded on TikTok but later found its way to Facebook, it showed a group of motorcyclists stopping right in the middle of an intersection near a traffic light.
It later turned out that they were actually a group of plainclothes policemen who were carrying out a traffic operation targeting mat rempits along Jalan Skudai and Pantai Lido in Johor.
As soon as the mat rempits realised that it was a sting operation, they began to flee the scene to avoid getting caught. One police officer even tried to kick a mat rempit off his motorbike but failed.
Not wanting to let any more mat rempits slip through their fingers, the police deployed two buses to stop right in the middle of the intersection, effectively blocking off the illegal racers’ sole path of escape.
Scores of summonses issued
Speaking to The Star, Johor Bahru Selatan police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said the operation was carried out between 5pm and 1am on Sunday (Aug 25).
He added that a total of 286 individuals with 257 vehicles were inspected, where 115 motorcycles were seized for further checks and 153 summonses were issued for offences such as driving without a license and illegal vehicle modification.
“The Road Transport Department (JPJ) also issued 54 summonses for various offences while the Department of Environment (DoE) issued 46 compound summonses and 52 inspection notices on vehicles that have loud exhausts.
“A 28-year-old man was also nabbed during the operation after he tested positive for drugs,” he said.
Watch the traffic operation unfold here:
READ ALSO: