MALACCA: Within days, the collective efforts of ex-cyclists in Malacca to educate and guide young ‘mosquito bike’ riders in the city have evolved into a full-fledged programme with a name - Podium Kids Malacca.
Despite a lukewarm response for its maiden meeting at Kompleks Musai Bistari yesterday, where only six riders turned up after being coaxed, coach Fairoz Izni Abdul Ghani is confident more will turn up on Saturday.
"We were just getting to know these riders, after we identified several such groups and engaged them. So, I called them up and said I wanted to meet with them to have a feel for how interested they would be," said Fairoz.
"Others shied away, with some even thinking it was a trap and that they would be arrested.
"So, I explained to the six who turned up that we want to support them and conduct activities for them, on the condition that they agree to abide by what we teach them about safety and how to ride on the road, how not to be a nuisance to other road users," he said.
The plan on Saturday will be to provide the mosquito bike riders who turn up with a briefing on cycling, safety and guidance, in order that they become good cyclists by practicing the good ethics of the sport.
"What is important is, as we expected, that these boys are interested in cycling. I asked them if they are interested in racing their bicycles properly, and they even mentioned that they want to race just like Anuar Manan," said Fairoz.
To the surprise of the six, Anuar himself, who had just completed riding Stage One of Le Tour de Langkawi in Kuala Terengganu, obliged to sit for a video conference with them, during which the boys were told off for riding bicycles without brakes, and advised to follow Fairoz's guidance.
"I think they were shell-shocked by that. It was Anuar Manan himself talking to them and giving them some motivation. So, they realised that this was a serious thing," Fairoz said.
Anuar has also agreed to come to Malacca to lend his support for the programme.
Fairoz and several former national and Malacca riders have come together to kick off the grassroots programme by engaging with mosquito bike riders in the city.
This comes in the wake of the tragedy in Johor Baru on Feb 18 which saw eight teenage cyclists killed in a 3am incident when their group was ploughed into by a car driven by a 22-year-old woman.
"This mission is more about the criticism and negative views of the public towards such boys. In the wake of that tragedy, a lot of views painted such a negative picture of them, (so much so) that we cyclists could not bear it," said Fairoz.
"We had to do something to change people's perceptions towards them and this can only be done if we get the boys themselves to show that they can subscribe to discipline and respect of other road users," Fairoz added.
Support for the programme is trickling in, with other ex-cyclists also chipping in to assist and fund the programme voluntarily.