BUTTERWORTH: Repeat traffic offenders, including illegal street racers, should undergo rehabilitation programmes in addition to enforcement measures such as summonses and vehicle seizures.
Penang Road Transport Department (RTD) director Zulkifly Ismail said rehabilitation could be introduced as a third approach after enforcement and prevention if existing measures proved insufficient to curb the problem.
"One proposal is to link rehabilitation to the demerit points system," he said.
"When repeat offenders accumulate a certain number of points, their driving licences could be suspended or revoked.
"To regain their licences, they would have to attend rehabilitation sessions," he said when contacted today.
Zulkifly was responding to a viral video showing a group of motorcyclists gathering at the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) exit in Bagan Ajam, apparently treating the area like a race track and disrupting traffic while posing safety risks to other road users.
He said reckless riding remained prevalent despite frequent enforcement and prevention operations, indicating the need for measures beyond fines and vehicle seizures.
Zulkifly attributed illegal street racing to individuals seeking thrills and wanting to test their limits on public roads.
"Generally, the main factor is the individual seeking that kind of thrill.
"It is not a hobby, but they enjoy doing it and challenging themselves by racing motorcycles.
"Therefore, we support the proposal to conduct rehabilitation classes for this group," he said.
He said the programme should not be limited to mat rempit but extended to other repeat traffic offenders.
The sessions could help offenders understand the consequences of their actions, he added.
Zulkifly said the proposal had yet to be implemented, with discussions on its execution still ongoing at the federal level.
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