Abdul Samad Abdul Kadir, 16, said before the accident, he had only been a spectator at the gatherings at Kampung Melayu Pandan in Johor Bahru. Saturday night was the first time he actively took part in the races – a decision that left him with painful physical injuries although he is grateful to still be alive.
“It was my first time joining them,” The Star quoted him as saying.
“Now, I have promised my mother that I will never make her cry or worry again.”
Other cyclists who were not directly involved in the accident also expressed remorse for their actions, adding they had been cautioned against such gatherings but had never bothered to take heed of the advice.
Aside from the eight who died, two teenagers are in intensive care and six others remain in hospital.
Mohd Aiman Ahmad, a close friend of one of the injured cyclists, said he and his friends often took part in the street races, most of which were held past midnight.
Participants sometimes placed bets with cash or bicycles, with the highest bet being RM5, The Star reported Aiman as saying.
“My parents have reminded me not to get involved in such activities, but I never listened to them.
“But now, after learning how one of my closest friends is in the ICU, I realise I must stop this dangerous activity,” he was quoted as saying.
Police said the youngsters were part of a group of 30 to 40 teenagers on bicycles, aged 13 to 17, believed to have been blocking some roads when a car travelling down Jalan Lingkaran Dalam ploughed into them at 3am on Saturday.
It is believed the driver of the car, a 22-year-old woman, could not brake in time to avoid the cyclists. Police added she was neither drunk nor speeding at the time of the incident. They also denied she was using her handphone while driving as one of the cyclists had claimed.