The Star Online quoted Prof Dr Wahid Omar, the vice-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, which organises the race, as saying the university would adhere to the new ruling drawn up by the Higher Education Ministry when organising the next event.
“The ministry has come up with a new standard operating procedure, which is for UTM to have the race in a proper circuit,” he was quoted as saying. He added that the university was in the midst of identifying a circuit for the purpose.
“Unfortunately, accidents do happen during races but we should not cancel the event as it encourages students to be innovative in building their own buggy for the Eimarace, as we only provide them with the engine.”
At the recent race in Kuantan, Pahang, company supervisor Izwan Isa, 39, and his four-year-old daughter Nurzulaikha Izwan were killed after a go-cart ploughed into them after three go-carts side-swiped each other.
The accident at 11.30am on Sept 25 in Jalan Sukpa Indera Mahkota here also injured Izwan’s wife Siti Suhaiza Seman and their eldest child Muhammad Izz Daniel, aged 7.
News reports following the tragedy stated that the organisers had only used plastic barricades (jersey barriers) to separate the circuit and the spectators, and despite the presence of security personnel at the scene, some spectators were standing too close to the race track.