IPOH: The involvement of students in illegal racing has become a major concern for the police.
Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said that there was no pride in being a Mat Rempit, but some students engaged in illegal racing because they thought it was impressive to ride motorcycles recklessly.
"Do you think it's cool to be a Mat Rempit and create a nuisance with the loud noise of illegally modified vehicles?
"The term Mat Rempit is nothing to be proud of, and those involved should feel ashamed," he said at the Road Safety Advocacy Programme at SMK Dato' Haji Mohd Taib in Chemor today.
Azizi urged students involved in illegal racing to reflect on the reasons for their participation.
"School students are the nation's valuable assets. You have immense potential, so why waste it by engaging in illegal activities?" he questioned.
He added that today's students were not only exposed to criminal activities and traffic violations, but were also influenced by social media.
In light of these challenges, he emphasised the need for new strategies to address student-related issues.
"We have observed a decrease in drug-related offences among school children, but there has been a slight rise in other criminal activities and illegal racing," he said.
At a press conference later, Azizi said that 622 road accidents involving school students were recorded in the state up to August, marking an increase of 20 cases compared with the same period last year.
"I hope all parties, including the ministry and the Parent-Teacher Association, will enhance advocacy programs for school students," he said.
Azizi said alongside traffic offences, the police were also focusing on narcotics and other crimes.
He said that continuous efforts were necessary, as recent developments showed that school students were a vulnerable group.
"They are now not only vulnerable to physical or environmental crimes, but are also increasingly exposed to criminal activities on online platforms, particularly social media," he said.