Police yet to confirm illegal racing caused fatal 15-vehicle crash

BATU GAJAH: Police are yet to determine if an accident involving 12 motorcycles, resulting in the deaths of three and injuries to nine others, was caused by an illegal street race. Perak deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azlin Sadari stated that only after recording statements from the hospitalized victims could this be confirmed.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a separate car accident had occurred at the same site earlier, before the car was struck by a group of motorcyclists due to insufficient lighting. The car remained on the main road, and poor lighting conditions are believed to have led to the motorcycle group colliding with it. It remains unclear if the motorcyclists were racing at the time of the incident, as this has yet to be confirmed by the police.

Azlin mentioned that the 12 motorcyclists involved were aged between 19 and 25. They were on their way home, having gathered near a convenience store in Meru Raya. In related news, the Perak Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department carried out 809 operations this year, with 209 of them focused on Ipoh, aimed at preventing street racing and road hooliganism. However, Azlin clarified that the crash site had not been identified as a typical location or "hot spot" for road hooligans.