KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan has backed the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Student Representative Council’s (MPP UMS) opposition to the proposed Sabah Motor Day (SMD) 9.0 event at the university’s Parade Ground this September.
Its Supreme Council member Chen Ket Chun said the concerns raised by the student body should be taken seriously and addressed respectfully by the university management before any decision is made.
He said a public university should place academic excellence, intellectual development and character building above other considerations.
“A university’s reputation should be built on academic achievement, research excellence and the quality of its graduates, not on hosting events that raise legitimate concerns over whether they are compatible with the values and image of an institution of higher learning,” he said in a statement, Saturday.
Chen said MPP UMS had highlighted recurring issues linked to previous Sabah Motor Day events, including allegations of sexual harassment, motorcycles that did not comply with legal specifications, behaviour associated with the Mat Rempit subculture, the use of flares, inappropriate public conduct and severe traffic congestion, which allegedly delayed a hearse during a previous event.
Chen noted that although Sabah Motor Day promotes an anti-drug message, MPP UMS had questioned whether previous editions consistently reflected that objective, citing an apparent contradiction between the programme’s stated purpose and the behaviour allegedly displayed by some participants.
He suggested the university work with the Government, the Ministry of Transport, the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the police and civil society organisations to promote road safety and discourage illegal street racing and dangerous riding practices.
Chen also called on the Federal Government to strengthen enforcement against excessively loud modified motorcycle exhausts, saying they had become a public nuisance, road safety concern and environmental issue affecting both residents and tourists.
He suggested Malaysia study enforcement measures adopted by other countries, including stricter regulation of illegal exhaust modifications, greater accountability for workshops installing unlawful exhaust systems, mandatory rectification of non-compliant motorcycles, enhanced roadside enforcement and the use of noise-monitoring technology in areas with persistent complaints.
