By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-09-27 01:47:03 | Updated at 2026-09-27 02:30:40
50 minutes ago
PETALING JAYA – A recent go-kart accident in Malaysia that left a 21-year-old rider with severe scalp injuries should prompt a nationwide review of safety standards and operating practices at commercial go-kart centres, the Alliance for a Safe Community’s chairman said.
Lee Lam Thye said go-karting, although a recreational activity, involved speed and machinery and carried a real risk of serious injury.
In a statement, Lee said: “Safety must be a shared responsibility between riders and operators.”
“Riders must obey safety instructions, wear properly fitted protective equipment, drive within their ability and never engage in reckless overtaking, bumping or speeding.”
However, Lee said operators had an even greater responsibility to ensure the entire go-karting environment was safe.
He urged the relevant authorities to review whether existing regulations and safety requirements for commercial go-kart centres were adequate and consistently enforced nationwide.
Among the measures he proposed were mandatory safety briefings before every session, properly fitted and secured helmets and protective equipment, regular inspection and preventive maintenance of all karts, clear speed limits and adequate trained marshals at strategic and high-risk sections of tracks.
Lee also called for effective warning systems that could stop a session immediately in the event of an accident or hazard, as well as clearly defined emergency response procedures, trained first-aid personnel and rapid access for emergency medical services.
He said regular safety audits and proper reporting and investigation of accidents and near misses should also be carried out.
“Operators must also recognise that a waiver or indemnity signed by a customer should never become a substitute for proper safety management.
“We should not wait for a fatality before taking action,” he said.
Lee called for a nationwide review involving the relevant authorities, operators, safety experts and industry stakeholders to establish clear and uniform minimum safety requirements.
On July 11, Maanroshan Singh Hulon was left with severe scalp injuries and required emergency surgery following an accident while taking part in a recreational go-kart session with friends in Puchong.
The operator said it had conducted an internal investigation and denied negligence, saying its safety procedures had been followed and that the race was stopped immediately after the incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
