MIRI: Police and the Road Transport Department (RTD) have stepped up enforcement against illegal street racing through a targeted overnight operation across key routes in the district.
A total of 21 police summonses and 53 notices from the RTD were issued during the joint operation led by the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division of the Miri District Police Headquarters and RTD Miri.
The operation, carried out between 8 pm on Apr 3 and 3 am the following day, focused on several identified hotspots, including Jalan Piasau, Jalan Bandar Miri, Jalan Bypass, Jalan Bakam, Jalan Bekenu–Sibuti and the Bekenu Bridge.
Miri District Police Chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the operation formed part of an intensified effort to curb illegal racing activity and remove unsafe vehicles from public roads.
A total of 33 individuals, comprising 28 men and five women, were stopped and inspected alongside 31 motorcycles.
Checks uncovered multiple serious violations, including riding without a valid licence, illegal structural modifications, altered exhaust systems, absence of side mirrors, missing registration plates and the use of non-compliant or “fancy” number plates.
Police said several motorcycles had been modified beyond permitted standards, raising concerns over rider safety and public disturbance, particularly due to excessive noise.
Illegal racing and unauthorised vehicle modifications have long been associated with road safety risks and anti-social behaviour, especially in urban areas where such activities can endanger both participants and other road users.
Mohd Farhan said enforcement operations would continue to be intensified in high-risk locations, warning that authorities would take firm action against those involved in unlawful racing and related offences.
He urged road users to comply with traffic regulations and avoid engaging in reckless behaviour, stressing that vehicle modifications that deviate from approved specifications or create excessive noise remain offences under existing laws.
