by Lourdes Charles

KUALA LUMPUR - After years of public agony, the authorities are finally going to hit the Mat Rempit where it hurts most - by seizing their motorcycles.

Police and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) are preparing to launch joint operations against the Mat Rempit in various locations.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said this drastic move had to be taken as the Mat Rempit had become violent and brazen instead of just being a public nuisance.

He said he had met Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat recently and the latter agreed that traffic police and JPJ officers should conduct joint operations to clamp down on the speedsters, many of whom use illegally-modified machines.

'We have to come down hard on the Mat Rempit who have started to become involved in robberies, snatch thefts and are even attacking innocent road users.

'The police have limited powers to act against these people but with the help of the JPJ, we can now go all out against them,' he added.

Musa said police would also go after the owners of the motorcycles if the riders caught were underage or did not possess valid licences. He said the registered owner of the machine would also be issued with a summons if the rider did not have a valid licence.

'Parents must be more responsible and should not allow their underage children to drive cars or ride motorcycles,' he added.

Federal Internal Security and Public Order Director Commissioner Datuk Husin Ismail said all district and traffic police chiefs had been instructed to step up operations against the Mat Rempit.

He said police would conduct integrated operations and those caught would be charged and face a fine of not less than RM5,000 ($2,072) and not more than RM15,000 or jailed for a maximum of five years.

Husin said that from 2006 to March this year, police had conducted 7,989 traffic operations against the Mat Rempit and arrested 2,609 bikers, of whom 2,431 have been charged.

'We even got the courts to disqualify them from having or obtaining a licence for a period of two years but these people continue to challenge the authorities,' he added.