Hunger, Raya cravings sees 57 mat rempits surrender after relentless police chase

KULAI - Due to hunger pangs and cravings for Raya delicacies, a group of 57 illegal motorcycle racers (mat rempits) took refuge in dense bushes and oil palm plantations at Kilometer 7, Jalan Kulai in Kota Tinggi before being detained by cops on the first day of Hari Raya.

Kulai district police chief Superintendent Tok Beng Yeow said the mat rempits aged 17 to 42 surrendered as they were overcome by fear and exhaustion, unable to bear the agony of hiding any longer.

"During the operation, most of the motorcyclists involved sneaked into the oil palm plantation area around 3am and tried to escape through the 'rat road' but the police had surrounded the area by then.

"Finally at 9am, they had, one by one, surrendered as they could not escape.

"This is because they could not stand the hot weather and some say they were hungry and miss the first Hari Raya food," he said in a statement today.

The mat rempits were detained in an Op Selamat operation involving Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) members, assisted by the patrol unit and transport unit of Kulai District Police Headquarters (IPD).

The 18-hour special operation from 11pm on Friday was led by Inspector Alexander Jeremy Jimy from Kulai IPD together with 13 officers and members.

He said Kulai IPD had issued 140 summons for various offences including driving without a licence, driving without insurance coverage, expired vehicle licence, non-compliant registration number, modified exhaust, failure to wear a helmet and several other violations.

"A total of 39 motorcycles were confiscated under Section 64 of the Road Transport Act 1987," he added.