Residents blame Ku Nan for Mat Rempit scourge

When Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor mooted to close certain roads in Kuala Lumpur to allow for Mat Rempit to race at night, little did the people of Taman Mastiara know that it would be the beginning of their nightmare.

After Tengku Adnan made the proposal exactly a year ago, KL mayor Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz suggested a 2km stretch between Taman Metropolitan Batu and Kampung Batu Muda for this.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar later met Tengku Adnan over the proposal and nothing was heard since.

Since then, Mat Rempit began gathering at the proposed location in Kepong - Jalan 1/18D - on their own accord, to the fury of local residents.

Fortunately for residents of Taman Metropolitan Batu, a more exclusive residential area, Jalan 1/18D is only a link road but the same cannot be said for the adjacent Taman Mastiara, where residents rely on it as a main road.

PKR Batu vice-chief Johny Puah and Kuala Lumpur DAP assistant organising secretary Yew Jia Haur today highlighted the plight of local residents and demanded Tengku Adnan to take responsibility for their sleepless nights.

"Few days after Tengku Adnan suggested to find a place in KL for Mat Rempit, our mayor announced that the (track) could be in (Taman) Mastiara.

"Right after that suggestion, every night till then, Mat Rempit used this stretch to race.

"The residents over here can't take it anymore," Yew (photo) told journalists.

Puah said several complaints have been lodged but to no avail.

"We've lodged several reports, and one officer from Jinjang police station said that the police can't do anything about it," he said.

Puah said the loud noise from the modified motorcycles is a nuisance to local residents.

"The riders also look very young, about fifteen to early twenties," he said.

Malaysiakini also spoke to some local residents, who expressed their frustration.

"My house is facing directly in front of the 'track'. You come here for one night and see and you'll know what kind of nightmare I'm going through," said a resident who only wanted to be known as Soo.

A security guard nearby said the Mat Rempit gather as early as 4pm on weekends.

"All the youngsters with kapcai, they come here to gather (with) their friends, and (rev) their bikes," he said.

Residents say the Mat Rempit mind their own business and do not physically harass or disturb those in the area.

However, another resident who did not want to be named said it was still dangerous.

"Even though they don't disturb, if they crash into me, it would be a problem," said the elderly resident.

Some residents have also complained on social media about the rampant Mat Rempit in the area.

A video uploaded on Facebook showed large numbers of Mat Rempit occupying the road with little regard for traffic.

-Mkini