Mat Rempit
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A Mat Rempit is a Malaysian term for "an individual who participates in activities such as illegal street racing, bike stunt performance, petty crime and public disturbance using a motorcycle", usually involving 2- and 4-stroke
underbone An underbone is a type of motorcycle that uses structural tube framing with an overlay of plastic or non-structural body panels and contrasts with monocoque or unibody designs where pressed steel serves both as the vehicle's structure and body ...
motorcycles, colloquially known as ''Kapcai'' or scooters. Mat Rempits are often seen on Malaysian streets, where they would gather in groups and race against each other for cheap thrills such as races and stunts (such as the wheelie, superman (lying flat on the seat), wikang and scorpion (standing on the seat with one leg during a wheelie). However, there are cases where they openly rebel against authorities where they would run through roadblocks, ride against the traffic or hit police officers with their bikes. Mat Rempits often race or perform stunts without proper safety gear and properly-equipped bikes, which often lead to accidents, causing major injuries or death.


Etymology

The word "Rempit" comes from "ramp-(rev)-it" (ramp the throttle). According to the ''
Kamus Dewan ''Kamus Dewan'' ( Malay for ''The Institute Dictionary'') is a Malay-language dictionary compiled by Teuku Iskandar and published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. This dictionary is useful to students who are studying Malay literature as they provid ...
'', the definition of "Rempit" is "the act of whipping with a cane". A possible alternative source of the word is derived from the noise made by a
2-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...
motorcycle. "Mat" is a Malay short form for Muhammad, for example Muhammad Ali can be contracted to Mat Ali. Mat is also a slang term used to refer to a male person who is usually of Malay descent.


Organization and traits

Mat Rempits usually gather in groups in bustling city centers on weekend nights. These gatherings are often followed by impromptu performances of stunts or races along a stretch of road. The term "Mat Rempit" itself usually come with the negative connotation of illegal activities, ranging from petty crimes such as public disturbance and reckless riding, to more serious ones such as
gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
ism, robbery,
street fighting Street fighting is hand-to-hand combat in public places, between individuals or groups of people. The venue is usually a public place (e.g. a street) and the fight sometimes results in serious injury or occasionally even death. Some street fig ...
, assault,
vandalism Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. The term ...
,
theft Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for som ...
and bullying. Most motorcycles used by the Mat Rempits do not meet standard specifications, or have been modified extensively for greater speed. Many Mat Rempits also opt to install aftermarket exhausts for their higher performance and loud noise. Additionally, most Mat Rempits do not have valid motorcycle licenses, do not pay
road tax Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on, or included with, a motorised vehicle to use it on a public road. National implementations Australia All states and territories require an annual vehicle registra ...
es, and ride stolen
motorcycles A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
.Mat Rempit
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Membendung lumba haram
Harian Metro
A growing number of
housing estates A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex or housing development) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Popular throughout the United States ...
have also been turned into racing tracks. It is estimated that there are about 200,000 Mat Rempits in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.''Rempit – Budaya Menunjuk-nunjuk'' – Kosmo! (in Malay) (4 January 2007)


Violence

In April 2009, Malaysia's
Inspector-General of Police An Inspector General of Police is a senior police officer in the police force or police service of several nations. The rank usually refers to the head of a large regional command within a police service, and in many countries refers to the most se ...
Musa Hassan said that the Mat Rempit had become violent and brazen instead of just being a public nuisance. He said "we have to come down hard on the Mat Rempit who have started to become involved in robberies, snatch thefts and are even attacking innocent road users and we also need to use harsh tactics to catch the Mat Rempit that try to runaway from the roadblocks". He also added that "parents must be more responsible and should not allow their underage children to drive cars or ride motorcycles". Mat Rempits often end up being hospitalized with varying degrees of injury after failing to perform their actions or stunts such as 'superman', 'spider' and many more. Every weekend, a number of Mat Rempits were hospitalized after being involved in accidents from high-speed racing and/or stunts. According to
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah, it was the parents who are the ones who should be blamed on this and while
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
deputy police chief, Amar Singh said that it was due to lack of parents' attention, Amar also pointed out that especially when they are in a big group, they would act aggressively by attacking the authorities and challenging traffic laws indiscriminately. He further pointed out that their peers will challenge them to do something outrageous like assaulting police officers and challenging road rules, just to prove that they're not cowards."


Political reaction

The widespread phenomenon of the subculture has driven some politicians in Malaysia to voice out concern and need to help rehabilitate the people involved in activities pertaining to that culture.
Khairy Jamaluddin Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar ( Jawi: ; born 10 January 1976) is a Malaysian politician. He most recently served as Minister of Health in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 ...
and Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim as he was formerly mat rempit. Khairy says "should become the "Eyes and Ears" of Malaysian" In 2006, a Member of Parliament representing Jenderak, Pahang suggested that the Mat Rempit should be accepted and guided to save them from indulging in dangerous activities. In 2008, newspaper Kosmo! reported that the Mat Rempit in the state of
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in th ...
would be allowed to show off their skills at a special track to be built by the state government in Tanah Merah. The then-Menteri Besar,
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat Nik Abdul Aziz bin Nik Mat ( Jawi: ; 10 January 1931 – 12 February 2015) was a Malaysian politician and Muslim cleric. He was the Menteri Besar of Kelantan from 1990 to 2013 and the ''Mursyidul Am'' or Spiritual Leader of the Pan-Malaysian I ...
said amidst the criticism that the track was not a waste of money, stating: The Kelantan approach was noted of by the neighbouring state
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman and historically as Queda, is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km2, and it consists of the mainland ...
, where its state government looked into the possibility of building such an infrastructure, to "overcome the menace", saying another option was to create more job opportunities for them as most of them were jobless. The former state's Chief Minister
Azizan Abdul Razak Azizan bin Abdul Razak (25 October 1944 – 26 September 2013) was a Malaysian politician who served as the 10th Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of the state of Kedah from 2008 to 2013. A member of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), he was ...
said "we will first study if the circuit in Kelantan has effectively curbed the menace".


Notable massive operations

On 3 May 2009, the Bukit Aman Traffic Division of the
Royal Malaysian Police The Royal Malaysia Police (often abbreviated RMP) ( ms, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)), is a (primarily) uniformed national and federal police force in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organisation. Its headquarters are located at Bukit Ama ...
, together with the Road Transport Department, launched a major integrated operation to crack down on both car and Mat Rempit motorcycle illegal racing. More than 115 motorcycles were impounded in the major operation which was held simultaneously in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.


In the media

The subculture surrounding the Mat Rempit has been the focus of numerous films and songs in Malaysia. Film depictions of the subculture began (and made popular) in 1984 with ''Gila-Gila Remaja'', ''Ali Setan'' (1985), ''Litar Kasih'' (1996), ''KL Menjerit'' (2002) and its prequel ''KL Menjerit 1'' (2005), ''
REMP-IT ''Remp-It'' is a 2006 Malaysian action film which focuses on the lifestyle of Malaysian motorcycle street racers, who are known locally as Mat Rempit. Produced by Metrowealth Pictures and directed by Ahmad Idham, the film premiered in August 2 ...
'' (2006), ''Bohsia: Jangan Pilih Jalan Hitam'' (2009), ''
Adnan Semp-It Adnan ( ar, عدنان, 'adnān) is the traditional ancestor of the Adnanite Arabs of Northern, Western, Eastern and Central Arabia, as opposed to the Qahtanite Arabs of Southern Arabia who descend from Qahtan. His ancestry can be traced back t ...
'' (2010) and ''V3 Samseng Jalanan'' (2010). Deejays JJ and Rudy (The Morning Crew) from
hitz.fm HITZ (as Hitz FM on radio) is a Malaysian national radio station managed by Astro Radio, a subsidiary of Astro Holdings Berhad. The radio station name was changed from Hitz.FM to Hitz FM in 2014. The radio has regional stations in Kota Kinab ...
radio station have made a
parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...
of
Teriyaki Boyz Teriyaki Boyz are a Japanese hip hop group from Yokohama, Japan. History The group consists of Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, Verbal from M-Flo, rapper Wise and Nigo, the DJ and founder of the popular Japanese streetwear brand A Bathing ...
's called ''We're Not So Furious'', designed to mock Mat Rempit culture.


Songs on Mat Rempit subculture

* Kazar – Memburu Impian (from Gila-Gila Remaja) * Spider – Salut (from Bintang 12) *
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– Kawanku * Yazer featuring Doul – Rempit * Ustaz Akhil Hayy Rawa – Relaku Rempit (parodying Spider's song called ''Relaku Pujuk'') * JJ and Rudy (The Morning Crew) from
hitz.fm HITZ (as Hitz FM on radio) is a Malaysian national radio station managed by Astro Radio, a subsidiary of Astro Holdings Berhad. The radio station name was changed from Hitz.FM to Hitz FM in 2014. The radio has regional stations in Kota Kinab ...
– Not So Furious (parodying
Teriyaki Boyz Teriyaki Boyz are a Japanese hip hop group from Yokohama, Japan. History The group consists of Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, Verbal from M-Flo, rapper Wise and Nigo, the DJ and founder of the popular Japanese streetwear brand A Bathing ...
's called ''Tokyo Drift'') * Fairuz Hafeez – Kisah Mat Rempit / Mat Rempit Jatuh Tergolek


See also

*
Motorcycle hooliganism Motorcycle hooliganism includes street racing, street stunting, and games of tag on public roads, or simply cruising, often in very large numbers, against local ordinances. Demographics Historian Jeremy Packer wrote that the newest motorcycle "ga ...
* Street racing *
Kapcai An underbone is a type of motorcycle that uses structural tube framing with an overlay of plastic or non-structural body panels and contrasts with monocoque or unibody designs where pressed steel serves both as the vehicle's structure and body ...
, Mat Rempit's common bike types *
Tafheet Tafheet (تفحيط), or hajwalah (هجولة), (colloquially known as Arab drifting or Saudi drifting), is a type of street racing-like subculture believed to have started in the late 1970s in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, that involves ...
, illegal street racing in Saudi Arabia *
Bōsōzoku is a Japanese youth subculture associated with customized motorcycles. The first appearance of these types of biker gangs was in the 1950s. Popularity climbed throughout the 1980s and 1990s, peaking at an estimated 42,510 members in 1982. Thei ...
, the Japanese counterpart * Ah Beng, the partially similar Chinese counterpart to the Mat Rempit *
List of subcultures This is a list of subcultures. A * Africanfuturism * Afrofuturism * Anarcho-punk * Athlete B * BDSM * Beat Generation, see beatnik * Bent edge * Bikers, see motorcycle clubs and outlaw motorcycle clubs ** Bōsōzoku * Bills * Biopunk * Bird ...


References


External links


Illegal racers and spectators to face heavier fines and longer jail terms

Mat Rempit re-branding futile

Mat Rempit ‘untameable’

Mat Rempit beat up executive
{{Biker culture Malaysian culture Hazardous motor vehicle activities Motorcycling subculture