ELEVEN young traffic offenders received more than they bargained for when they were instructed to perform prayers and attend a religious session after they were arrested yesterday by the police in Tanah Merah.

Tanah Merah district police chief Zainuddin Md Yusuf said the police decided to take such action when the youngsters were brought to the Tanah Merah district police headquarters (IPD) after being detained during  “Ops Kesalahan (Bunyi Bising)”.

“All the youths, aged 14 to 20, were detained in Jalan Kampung Liku in an operation carried out from 5.30pm to 8pm. They were detained for committing various traffic offences including not having a valid licence and not wearing safety helmets.

“They were taken to the IPD and it just so happened that it was time for Maghrib prayers, so I instructed them to pray in congregation first at the IPD surau before further action,” he said in a statement here today.

Zainuddin said one of them even led the prayers as an imam while the Maghrib tazkirah was delivered by the IPD personnel.

He said during the operation, 30 summonses were issued with failure to wear a helmet topping the list of offences. Nine motorcycles were also seized.

“The seizure (of motorcycles) was made under Section 64 of Road Transport Act 1987,” he said. – Bernama, March 2, 2021.