THEY hurled firecrackers at JPJ officers in Rawang, that was not “nakal” youth, that was open war against the law and against every decent road user trapped beside them on our highways of fear. How many more families must grip the steering wheel in terror before we admit it. The Mat Rempit menace has become a form of road terrorism, and the time for pampering is over.
When the law is attacked, the nation is attacked
On that late night in Rawang, JPJ officers were simply doing their job, checking a motorcyclist who had no helmet, no licence, no road tax, no insurance. That is already a full bingo card of lawlessness, yet instead of shame, a group of riders responded with firecrackers and fury, turning a routine inspection into an ambush.
This is what our enforcement frontliners now face, not just arguments or excuses, but physical intimidation and danger. The Road Transport Department has rightly responded with focused, nationwide operations against riders without licences, without insurance, with illegal mods, and those who refuse even the basic act of wearing a helmet. Its officers, like Azrin, have had to go on record to remind Malaysians to respect enforcement officers and obey the most basic road rules so that we do not invite tragedy and legal action.
Yet, why should the onus be only on JPJ and the police to “be patient” with this nonsense, while poor, tax‑paying motorists, including the elderly, become moving targets for these two‑wheeled bullies? The truth is brutal. For too long, society and the political class have looked away, laughed it off, even quietly harvested this culture for votes.
How politics pampered road ruffians
Undi18 turned millions of young Malaysians into a highly prized voting bloc almost overnight. Political parties scrambled to look “youth‑friendly”, to appear cool on TikTok, to pose with bikers and street riders, to speak the language of spontaneity and rebellion. In that noisy courtship, who wanted to be the stern adult? Who dared to say? “No licence, No Vote. No Helmet, No Support. You race illegally, you will face the full wrath of the law”?
Instead, we saw a different pattern. This ruffian youths were celebrated, but not guided. Their anger was channelled into rallies, not into skills. Their naivety was exploited as campaign props, not nurtured as citizens. Analysts have pointed out that every major party knows its future depends on youth support, and some have chosen the shortcut of emotional manipulation over the long road of genuine empowerment.
Mat Rempit culture is part of that collateral damage. When leaders need roaring crowds and dramatic videos, the thundering exhausts and daredevil stunts become a convenient backdrop. The same young men who terrorise neighbourhoods at 2am are told at election time that they are “heroes”, “anak muda berani”, “the voice of change”, as long as they cheer for the right flag. After that, their broken bodies and broken bikes are left for JPJ, police, hospitals orthopaedic wards and mortuaries, and grieving parents to deal with.
You cannot keep stroking the tiger and then look shocked when it devours the village.
Zero tolerance on the road, Zero hypocrisy in politics
So what must be done? First, we must stop pretending this is just a traffic issue. Road safety experts have stressed that illegal street racing is a symptom of deeper social rot, but they also insist that enforcement must be firm, consistent and supported by tougher penalties. JPJ has already launched special operations targeting the core offences — no licence, no insurance, illegal mods, no helmets, illegal racing — precisely because these are the breeding grounds of Mat Rempit culture.
Now, that must evolve into a permanent, aggressive national doctrine that executes:
– Automatic motorcycle seizure for illegal racing, riding without a licence, or repeat serious offences, with costly and painful procedures to reclaim the bike.
– Steep, cascading fines for parents or guardians who allow unlicensed under‑16s to ride, as already provided for in law, and vigorous prosecution to make examples that everyone understands.
– Criminal charges for any attack, obstruction, or intimidation of enforcement officers, treated as an assault on public security, not “youthful mischief”.
At the same time, Parliament must close the gap between rhetoric and reality. If politicians are sincere, let them sign a bipartisan code: no political party will glorify illegal riding, no candidate will appear at or endorse illegal gatherings of street racers, and no one will quietly lobby for leniency when a “friendly” Mat Rempit group is caught.
If you want the youth vote, earn it by defending their right to live — not their “right” to die on a kapchai with no licence and no helmet, endangering their lives and of others.
From road terrorists to nation‑builders
Hard hitting does not mean heartless. Experts and community leaders have repeatedly argued that enforcement alone will not solve this menace, many riders are school dropouts, unemployed, or simply youths who feel invisible and excluded. This is where the Ministry of Transport and its partners can be both firm and visionary.
Imagine a reformed model built on three uncompromising pillars:
1. Crush the crime, save the rider
– Illegal racing, attacks on officers, and persistent recidivism are met with maximum penalties, including jail and vehicle forfeiture.
– At the same time, first‑time non‑violent offenders are pushed into mandatory “Reboot Road” programmes, intensive road‑safety education, defensive riding courses, community service in A&E wards and rehab centres, where they have to confront the crushed bones and broken families left by “fun” racing.
2. Redirect the adrenaline.
– Government and private partners build safe, affordable circuits and go‑kart tracks where speed is controlled, helmets are compulsory, and talent can be spotted, not buried.
– Ex‑racers and motorsport professionals’ mentor at‑risk youths, turning raw thrill into disciplined skill, from mechanics and bike tuning to marshal work and motorsport careers.
3. Turn voters, not victims.
– Youth ministries, NGOs and election bodies collaborate on political literacy programmes that teach young Malaysians how power really works, how policies are made, and how to hold leaders accountable beyond hype.
– Former Mat Rempit who successfully reform become ambassadors who tell the truth: “We were used. Now we choose.” Their stories are more powerful than any campaign jingle because they expose how naivety and anger were weaponised at the ballot box.
A line in the asphalt
Azrin has given the polite warning, JPJ will keep up focused operations, and the public is urged to respect officers and obey the law. That is the language of duty. But the rest of us must now find the language of moral outrage. We must demand that our leaders stop flirting with chaos for cheap votes in the coming election, like in the past. We must insist that political parties stop stroking the egos of road thugs while attending funerals of their victims.
This is not about hating the young. It is about loving them enough to say, you are worth more than this. You are more than a statistic on a death chart, more than a rented crowd in a campaign video. You are citizens of a country that needs your energy, in factories, in startups, in Research and Development centres, at universities, in classrooms, in the voting booth, not splattered on asphalt at 3am.
The time for excuses is over. Crush the menace, reform the youth, and reclaim our roads. Not next year, not after the next election, NOW! – March 9, 2026
Ravindran Raman Kutty is an award-winning PR practitioner