A 46-year-old man was injured after he was allegedly attacked by a group of motorcyclists in Taman Bandaraya, Bukit Mertajam, after confronting them over excessive motorcycle noise in the residential area.
The incident occurred at about 6.09am on Aug 15, when the man and his family were preparing to leave home for work.
According to a social media post by the victim’s son, several motorcycles were heard passing through the neighbourhood before some riders allegedly revved their engines repeatedly, creating loud noise.
The man approached the group and asked them not to cause a disturbance in the residential area. A confrontation later broke out, during which he was allegedly struck with a motorcycle helmet and pushed into a drain by several individuals.
He suffered injuries to his arms, legs and other parts of his body, while a wound at the back of his head required eight stitches. His family said he is expected to take about a month to recover.
A police report was lodged following the incident. In a subsequent update, the victim’s son said police had arrested individuals believed to be involved in the case.
The family said residents of Taman Bandaraya had been dealing with disruptive motorcycle activities for several years, particularly after a rear access road in the area was opened.
According to residents, groups of motorcyclists can enter the neighbourhood at various times, from early morning until late at night, with some allegedly riding in separate groups. Residents also claimed that some appeared to be underage and that some riders were seen without helmets.
However, there was no CCTV coverage at the location where the assault allegedly took place, making it difficult for the family to identify the motorcycles or their registration numbers from video footage.
Following complaints from residents, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim’s special assistant, Tan Joon Wei, and Seberang Perai city councillor Yogan visited a nearby police station to raise the issue before meeting residents in Taman Bandaraya to discuss possible measures.
Tan said police had since stepped up patrols in the neighbourhood, adding that he saw a patrol vehicle in the area during his visit.
He said the matter could no longer be treated solely as a noise or traffic nuisance after an alleged assault had taken place, and called for greater attention to community safety.
Residents are expected to take part in a dialogue session with police to discuss longer-term measures to curb the problem.
Authorities are also considering proposals raised by residents, including changes to traffic flow and the installation of speed humps, with the aim of reducing opportunities for reckless riding in the residential area.
