GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA: Boredom has been cited as one of the main reasons why youths become Mat Rempit.

This was a finding made by a government institute's research on Mat Rempit. Forty-eight per cent of youngsters polled cited boredom when asked why they became Mat Rempit who ride recklessly, often endangering other road users.

Penang Deputy CPO Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said the Youth Development and Research Institute's study showed that 38% of the Mat Rempit polled said they indulged in such activities to fill their spare time while 27% cited peer pressure.

"The research also showed that 87% of them are aged between 14 and 25," said SAC I Tun Hisan when opening the 39th Police Cadet Corps parade at the Federal Reserve Unit field in Air Itam here.

There were also 2,218 crime cases involving 3,725 students last year, of which 3,629 were between the ages of 13 and 18, he said, adding that there was an alarming increase in juvenile delinquency in the state. In 2007, there were 1,936 cases involving 3,383 students of which 3,241 were aged between 13 and 18.

These students were linked to serious cases like murder, rape and break-ins, he added.

He also said the Police Cadet Corps could become the eyes and ears of the police to help counter social ills among their peers.

He said the uniformed body had grown tremendously from an initial 1,960 members 39 years ago to 89,110 members nationwide now.

SAC I Tun Hisan also presented certificates to 15 cadets from the state who excelled in their studies.