The Amended Road Transport Act of 1987 will penalise not only motorcycle owners but the parents and the workshops too!

Harsher punishments are set to be in place for those who tinker with their motorcycles as the Transport Ministry aims to clamp down on illegal motorcycle racing and modifications.

The Road Transport Act of 1987 is about to change and be amended to increase the punishment for offences involving the modification of motorcycle engines and exhaust pipes from RM300 to RM10,000.

Those who are found guilty may even get some jail time too, on top of the new hefty fine.

According to News Straits Times, it doesn't stop there either, as the proposed amendments also seek to penalise irresponsible parents who allow their children to modify their motorcycles for illegal racing and workshop owners who carry out the task. 

As reported by NST, Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak said the proposed amendments were in the "good regulatory practice" (GRP) stage, which involves engagements and consultations with stakeholders.

"It is necessary to raise the fines because many youngsters blatantly break the law and join motorcycle races nowadays. They can afford to pay the RM300 fine and that is why we propose to push the penalty to RM10,000 to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal racing."

Datuk Isham Ishak expects the proposed amendment to be tabled in Parliament in the third quarter of next year. He thinks that illegal racing should be defined more broadly to include modifying exhausts and engines.

In a period of 10 years, deaths involving motorcycle riders and passengers accounted for 60% of the total number of deaths that occurred as a result of road accidents.

Therefore, he added, raising fines, coupled with effective enforcement, is the best way to educate road users, especially illegal riders.