KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic laws will be amended to enable police to deal with Mat Rempit.

Federal traffic chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Hamza Taib said the amendment was necessary because the present laws were unclear and they did not define what constituted illegal racing.

SAC Hamza said that charges that usually could be preferred against the culprits were for reckless or dangerous riding.

He said the police had submitted a proposal to the Transport Ministry concerning the matter.

He also said that a whopping RM252mil in fines were collected from traffic offenders last year.

Nine million summonses were issued to traffic offenders.

On the number of road fatalities, he said that 6,305 people were killed last year, with motorcyclists and pillion riders topping the list of casualties.

Car drivers and passengers were next and there were 1,262 fatalities in this category.

Giving more statistics for last year, SAC Hamza said that 363,314 accident cases were reported with Selangor having the most at 99,157.

This was followed by 49,389 cases in Kuala Lumpur, 46,643 in Johor and 33,881 in Penang.