Man on a White Horse, just like a traffic cop

KUALA LUMPUR: Riding his “White Horse’, a Honda CBX750 motorcycle, and wearing jackets like those of traffic police, ‘Wak’ is a scary sight for some motorists on the road.

“Undeniably, my presence on the road shocks motorists, maybe they think I am a traffic policeman as my motorcycle looks like one used by traffic policemen,” said the man, in his 40s, only identified as “Wak” in an interview with Bernama.

“Nevertheless, they will realise that I am an ordinary road user when they see my motorcycle does not have any police logo or siren,” he said.

Wak bought his motorcycle for RM4,000 at an auction about seven years ago. He said buyers were advised to remove the accessories used by the police.

A Bernama check found several independent sellers online, conducting their business of buying and selling such motorcycles.

One seller on a local popular website early this month advertised a motorcycle complete with original accessories emblazoned with the word ‘Police’. When contacted, the seller said the motorcycle had yet to be sold, but clammed up when further queried.

The same website had other similar motorcycles for sale, modified but still bearing police accessories including siren.

Mohd Nadzri Hussain, head of Kuala Lumpur’s traffic police, did not rule out the possibility the open sale of the motorcycles in the market had prompted the illegal escort activities by unscrupulous quarters.

“Maybe too, they want to pull the wool over the public’s eyes by using the CBX750 motorcycles used by the police to conduct the activity,” he said.

He told anyone owning high-powered motorcycles similar to those used by traffic police not to misuse their machines. “It is against the law to conduct vehicle escort activities by using such motorcycles. Normally, the public buy the motorcycles from police auctions. In the agreement, they are told to remove all accessories such as siren and lights on the motorcycle,” he said.

The Road Transport Department said no one was allowed to add or install a siren on a vehicle, other than the police and JPJ.

“We will not approve any application to install a siren on a vehicle,” a spokesman told Bernama. He said JPJ had no power over the sale of sirens in car accessory shops. Such powers lay with the domestic trade ministry, which regulates imports of goods.

— BERNAMA