KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman says his ministry is working to ensure the safety of street bikers who modify their bicycles, also known as the “basikal lajak” community.
He told reporters at the Parliament lobby that his ministry is currently running workshops with the community, adding however that further training is needed.
“If you look at how they modify their bikes, many are very unsafe because there are no brakes, and they usually do not wear any safety equipment.”
The routes they follow are also long and often downhill, he added.
He said this might complicate efforts to build facilities if no expert training is provided.
However, he said stationary equipment had been provided as one measure towards ensuring their safety.
“They don’t move that much but it builds their stamina and speed, and we can even train them to become cyclists for Malaysia in the long run,” he added.
“The last thing we want is, if we just push them aside they will still do it and in the end, they lose their lives and their safety is compromised.
“It’s about channelling their passion and energy to a more productive path.”
He added that his ministry would table a blueprint on the e-sports industry this month.
He said when the blueprint was drafted, they had not known how much they would be allocated in the budget.
“Now we know, so we can start discussing about distribution,” he said.
A total of RM20 million was allocated for e-sports through the youth and sports ministry in the 2020 Budget.