AAM accused MAM of flouting its suspension following the latter’s role in the Educational Innovation Motosports Automotive Race 2016 (Eimarace) tragedy last September.
“The suspension order was issued to MAM for its involvement in a non-sanctioned race and which had subsequently resulted in fatalities.
“The officials were suspended. We have informed the FIA (International Automobile Federation), so the suspension still stands. The suspensions will stand pending the conclusion to this case,” AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha was quoted as saying.
A man and his young daughter were killed, while his wife and son along with several other people were injured at Eimarace 2016 which took place at the Indera Mahkota Sukpa Complex in Kuantan on Sept 25.
The victims were hit by a 131cc engine go-kart that veered off the track and crashed through barriers before hitting the spectators.
Following the initial inquiry done on Sept 27, AAM, as the national body in charge of all motorsports activities, had issued suspensions to both the clerks of course and the MAM for their involvement.
According to Tunku Mudzaffar, the case has yet to be concluded, pending action from the authorities.
He was responding to MAM’s involvement last week in organising the KBS-MAM Kapcai Endurance race. It is a motorbike race jointly organised by the youth and sports ministry (KBS) and MAM, and held at the PLUS Speedway Track, along the Elite highway in Subang, on Jan 27.
On Feb 13, the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) will also be collaborating with MAM in hosting the SIC-MAM Malaysia Motorsports Awards.
The fact that both the ministry and the SIC are working with MAM has prompted questions about the validity of the suspension order by AAM.
Tunku Mudzaffar said he is more concerned about the race than the awards ceremony but questions the status accorded to the awards event.
“We have informed them (organisers) that the awards should not be a national award as under regulations, only the national body can hand out such awards.
“Anyhow, it is the organisation of the race which is a more serious offence,” Tunku Mudzaffar told NST, adding that the case on the Eimarace tragedy has not been concluded and that police investigations are still ongoing.
“For MAM to just flout the suspension despite their involvement in a case that saw the death of two people is inexplicable.”
An MAM representative told the daily that the association had been advised against issuing statements on the matter.
“MAM have been advised to not provide any further comments which could affect investigations and insurance claims. These are instructions from the police and insurance company,” the representative was quoted as saying by NST.
On Oct 1 last year, MAM had issued a statement regretting the suspension order issued by AAM saying it would jeopardise the growth of grassroots motorsports events that MAM are involved in.
“The Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) confirms that the Automobile Association of Malaysia had issued a letter dated 27 September 2016 suspending MAM from organising any motorsports activities including the issuing of any licences, documents, etc relating to the organising of motorsports events in Malaysia.
“This open-ended suspension ahead of the setting up of a tribunal of inquiry on the events surrounding the fatal accident at the Educational Innovation of Motorsports and Automotive (EIMARACE) 2016 go-kart race at Indera Mahkota, Kuantan on 25 September will be a blow to the grassroots motorsports events that MAM is involved in, such as the highly popular KBS-MAM Kapcai Endurance 2016,” MAM said in the statement that was emailed to FMT and published the same day.
Meanwhile, last week, an independent consultant involved in the investigation into the Eimarace tragedy lashed out at authorities for ignoring the findings of the investigation panel.
According to NST, the consultant, Azad Jasmi, said the panel had pinpointed various occurrences of negligence resulting in the tragedy, but that the findings had been swept under the carpet after the panel had concluded investigations.
“Many safety procedures were not followed. The chief marshal was a third year university student appointed by UTM, while the Rela head said their duty was to guard spectators. Briefings were also conducted without written documents,” Azad was quoted as saying by NST on some of the findings of the investigation.
The Eimarace was jointly organised by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with the cooperation of Tourism Pahang.
There has been no statement forthcoming from the higher education ministry, which had appointed the investigation panel, on the outcome of the investigation.