Police yet to confirm if Ipoh pre-dawn crash involving 15 vehicles linked to illegal racing

BATU GAJAH, Sept 19 — Police have yet to confirm whether a group of motorcyclists involved in a fatal accident involving 12 motorcycles and three cars at Jalan Jelapang-Ampang here early today were linked to illegal racing.

Perak deputy police chief DCP Mohammad Azlin Sadari said police needed to record statements from nine injured motorcyclists still receiving treatment in hospital to determine what happened before and during the crash.

He said the riders, aged between 19 and 25, were travelling together from Meru Jaya before the accident.

“Police are also investigating the possibility that poor lighting conditions at the location contributed to the crash,” he told reporters after the Taman Angkat Amanita launch and a town hall discussion here today. 

In the 3.35am incident, two motorcyclists aged 19 and 20 died at the scene, while another 19-year-old rider died while receiving treatment at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB). 

Mohammad Azlin said initial investigations found a car accident had occurred earlier at the location, causing the vehicle involved to be positioned in the path of other road users.

The group of motorcyclists, travelling close together, then collided with the vehicle, resulting in a chain collision.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Azlin said dashcam footage had helped police identify two men suspected of threatening a driver with a stick along Jalan Ipoh-Gopeng, Simpang Pulai here.

He said police were waiting for the appropriate time to call the two local men to record their statements.

Mohammad Azlin said no serious incident occurred apart from a verbal altercation before both parties left the scene. A police report has been lodged, and the case is being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code.

A one-minute-30-second video of the incident had earlier gone viral on Threads.

Earlier, Mohammad Azlin said three areas under the Batu Gajah District Police Headquarters - Kampung Ara Payung, Taman Batu Gajah Perdana and Taman Tasek Putra, Tronoh, had been selected as Amanita Adopted Neighbourhoods for 2026.

He said the initiative aims to involve women, particularly housewives, as strategic partners in raising crime awareness and promoting prevention efforts within their communities.

Through Amanita, PDRM can better understand residents’ safety concerns while providing a closer channel for the public to share information and report suspicious activities or criminal incidents.

He added that the programme also strengthens two-way communication between police and the community to address local safety issues. — Bernama