Don T Cheer For Mat Rempit Stunt Riders Say Police

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A group of motorcycle stunt riders were caught in a police operation in Kluang on Saturday night. (Bernama pic)JOHOR BAHRU: Johor police have urged the public not to cheer on Mat Rempit (motorcycle stunt riders) or to jeer the police who take action against them for violating restrictions on public activities under the movement control order
Criticism of the police had arisen after a 90-second video clip was shared online showing a police raid to stop Mat Rempit activities on Saturday night in Kota Tinggi
The video clip showed a few Mat Rempit pushing their motorcycles accompanied by a police patrol while the takbir raya was being played
The scene drew online criticisms, and Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said some members of the community considered the police action to be an insult to Islam
“Some people said the police are insulting Islam. I think that is not right. We should note that the action was carried out on Hari Raya eve and we managed to capture 47 local men aged between 18 and 30 and confiscated 26 motorcycles
“The community needs to understand. The people should be criticising the activities of Mat Rempit during Hari Raya eve. They are supposed to be at home and listening to the takbir raya and not performing stunts,” he told a media conference here today
He said the public appear to be supporting the Mat Rempit by blaming the police. “The situation should be the other way round, nonetheless, the police will keep performing such operations to curb these activities,” he said
He also urged the public to inform the police of large groups making Hari Raya visits and other activities. “We have a special team to perform a house-to-house inspection during this Aidilfitri season,” he said
Photographs and video clips have been making rounds since yesterday in which a large group of motorcyclists were shown going from house to house in Batu Pahat. - FMT

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