Mat Rempit - a discussion (dialogue form)

Mat Rempits, the illegal bikers
Saw Yi met Amelia at the Starbuck’s café.
TSY	Terrible, really terrible. This might as well been the worst day in my life.
Amelia	What’s up?
TSY	I’ve gotten into a clash with one of those Mat Rempits. They took off after scratching my brand new Mercedes!!
Amelia	I feel sorry for you, Saw Yi. Actually, do you know that we should not use the word Mat Rempit?
Saw Yi	Why, Amelia?
Amelia	Mat Rempit is a street lingo for motorcyclists, normally on small powered motorcycles, who go buzzing in and out of traffic completely disregarding traffic rules and other vehicles and pedestrians on the road. Sometimes, they’d congregate on some pre-determined roads somewhere and race illegally.
Saw Yi	What should we call them then?
Amelia	According to Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, we should call them Mat Cemerlang because he said the government is finding a proper direction for them. He said that the government could not stop them to continue with their interests but we can guide them to find a direction. He quoted that, ‘If we cannot stop them, we join them. We try to understand them because they are our youths.’
Saw Yi	What!!  Seriously, I think that giving those illegal bikers a name (Mat Rempit) is actually not helping the situation. It is as if giving them recognition for their action in the country. There are architects, doctors, lawyers, and today we have `mat rempit'? Why give them such recognition and of all we know they're right behind there laughing in pride when the authorities call them by that. Why not just call them, traffic offenders, criminals? However we might think this is damaging to their pride and as much as we want to see these youths as hope of the nation, we don't call robbers `robin hood', we don't call assassins `terminators' do we?
Amelia	Saw Yi, we can't help it that they are called and known locally as Mat Rempit. What we can do is maintain that label and increase enforcement from all sides. Lastly we can also educate the younger ones in school - let them know the 'why', 'how' and 'what'. Then they can decide for themselves what is good; to be a crazed road maniac or not. By the way, calling them "Mat Gila" won't work either - they'll get more aggressive and cause more damage; besides they aren't crazy, their actions are.
Saw Yi	Well, I do agree that those illegal bikers’ actions are crazy but I oppose the actions that the government had taken to solve this problem. They actually suggested building a racing track for those illegal bikers and legitimize their so-called ‘sports’. From what I had known, some of the articles posted on the net actually tell us to ‘support’ them by giving them an ear. This is ridiculous! They are actually endangering other people’s lives by racing illegally and some people stood up for them? Come on!
Amelia	Following the long list of complaints by the public, one Mat Rempit was quoted as saying that existing tracks were inaccessible because they were not affordable, and as for organized races, the competition was too tough. However, I agree that the action suggested by the government is not suitable to curb this problem. The suggestion of making them a tourist attraction is a joke, and it might end up being a tourist repellent. I say we have tolerated them enough and should put an end to all this.
Saw Yi	Honestly, the Government has tried to help this bunch of people, but it seems they bite the hand that feeds them. We can’t be easy with them or we’ll be putting the future of our country on the edge. In short, not only do I support the No Notion, I would support a Down With Them Notion for being so brazen even with some educated minds amongst them.
Amelia	Oh, I’m late for my meeting already. Sorry, Saw Yi. I would like to stay and talk longer but I really gotta rush. Bye.
Saw Yi	Bye.