KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s move to criminalise illegal street racing is aimed at preventing accidents, injuries and deaths, says Anthony Loke as the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2026 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat.
Speaking during the winding-up debate on the Bill, the Transport Minister said the introduction of a new Section 42A would allow enforcement action to be taken against those engaged in racing or speed-testing on public roads without having to wait for a crash, injury or fatality to occur.
“The main purpose of Section 42A is to enable early enforcement action against racing or speed-testing activities on public roads.
“This amendment closes a loophole in the existing law,” he said in the Lower House on Wednesday (June 24).
Under the new provision, racing or speed-testing involving two or more motor vehicles on public roads will become a specific offence.
Loke stressed that the law was intended to target competitive racing and dangerous speed challenges rather than isolated instances of speeding or overtaking.
He said the amendment was necessary given Malaysia’s road safety challenges, adding that 6,537 people were killed in road accidents in 2025.
Of that number, 4,340 deaths or 66.4%, involved motorcyclists and their passengers.
At the same time, Loke said the government agreed that illegal racing could not be addressed through punishment alone and that young people with an interest in motorsports should be provided with legal and safer alternatives.
He said the Transport Ministry was open to working with the Youth and Sports Ministry, Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Housing and Local Government Ministry, state governments, local councils and the private sector to explore the development of community race tracks, temporary venues and talent development programmes.
“Young people who have an interest and talent in motorsports should be channelled into legal, controlled and safe activities,” he said.
However, Loke stressed that the provision of race tracks should not be viewed as a licence to race on public roads.
“Public roads remain not a racing circuit,” he added.
The minister also said the new offence would apply equally to all motor vehicles involved in illegal racing, including motorcycles, ordinary cars, luxury vehicles and high-performance cars.
He said tragedies involving high-powered vehicles had shown that illegal racing was not confined to “mat rempit” groups and could also endanger innocent road users.
The Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2026, which introduces 41 amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987, was passed by voice vote in the Dewan Rakyat.
The legislation also contains provisions covering tougher enforcement, digitalisation of Road Transport Department services, action against “tonto” informants and enhancements to road safety measures.
