Mat Rempit Menace

It was about 3.30 am this early morning as I was driving home with my former school mate and friend of over 20 years from our usual supper hang out at McD. We were at Queen Victoria's clock tower when we chanced upon a group of 5-6 motorcyclists, some with pillions. I didn't think much about them at that moment as they did not seem to pose any threats. However, as I drove past the ferry terminal, one of them with a pillion whizzed past us but slowing down just ahead of us approximately 1-2 car lengths ahead. Then all of a sudden, they pulled back a bit only to be replaced by two others but on 2 separate "kap-chais". These Malay boys, Mat Rempits were tearing down the almost deserted street as if they were in pursuit of something...someone.



Indeed, we only realized that they were indeed pursuing a bike ridden by 2 adults and they rode alongside these 2, taunting them a bit by bit. We could see that the pillion was a female but couldn't make out who the rider was. He / she was shielded by the pillion most of the time. Now, the two alerted by the actions of these Mat Rempits chose to ignore them and rode on even faster. The MR kept pace but as their machines were quicker, it was like a scene taken out from a B-grade Malaysian drama.



Both of us, though we didn't actually utter much to each other but realized that we had to do something. I didn't say it out aloud but I had already decided that I would stay behind these terrors of the road and be prepared to "surprise" them should they try anything funny. As for my friend, Weng Hong, he had already punched in the emergency number to the local police should we need assistance from the law. Fat hopes, I thought to myself but that is for another post , another day.



By now the Mat Rempit hoodlums were already nipping at the heels of their quarry, taunting them and waiting for the right moment to act.



Many thoughts were racing through my mind at that moment. What if they did try to assault the rider and the pillion, what should I do? What could I do? Do I just watch and ignore or should I just drive off now and hope that the 2 would be just fine on their own? After all, I was in a 1500cc vehicle while these menace were only in their "kap chais". Deep down inside, I know I just could not chose, that I shouldn't have to even choose. My obvious answer would be to intervene. I had been brought up to always speak up for the poor, to defend the weak. The time is now. My heart was racing. A sense of anxiety came upon me.

Alas, God spoke. A small turn off appeared by the roadside to a small temple as if granting sanctuary to the two. The Mat Rempits were caught off guard and with the temple in sight, they sped off hastily into the night....seeking other preys, perhaps?

The law is now only thinking of taking drastic action...only thinking ya.... they haven't even begun to take action and these menace are merely juveniles. I blame the parents of these boys for not being in control of their children and also to the BN government for not only failing to act but for encouraging these Mat Rempits to be even more blatant. Rehab programmes like rewarding them with trips to the north pole or camps, I would say is downright stupid and wasting our tax payers money. Stop all this nonsense and govern like a responsible government. If they can't then they must allow others capable of doing so.

Only now with the loss of 4 lives, is the government now waking up to the root of this social ill. It is quite simple really, I mean if the government is indeed serious about eradicating this menace, make it a law to confiscate their machines if and when caught in a police sting. No appeals allowed for whatever their reasons may be. They can cry foul, plead leniency because they are the sole breadwinner of their families, its their first offence, their only mode of transport to work and blah blah blah... I think the people have had quite enough. Once impounded, the riders are charged in court and then destroy the confiscated machines. This way, there won't give rise to corrupt practices within the system to allow the offenders a ghost of a chance to recover their machines from the law and terrorize the streets ....once again. I heard that it works in Australia and even cars are not spared. So now let's see how serious our government is in tackling this problem or perhaps we need to see a death among the family members of the elite ruling government before we can see any action taken..I wonder.