Sepang International Circuit instructed to temporarily ban drag races due to SOP violation

The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has ordered Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to suspend all drag racing events for the time being. The order came following the chaotic incident and lack of enforcement of the standard operating procedures (SOP) during the MUSC SIC Sepang Drag Cars Test & Tune 2021 last Friday.

According to the statement issued by the ministry, the suspension will remain in force until they are satisfied with the improvements and re-evaluation of venue management protocols in SIC.

Other than that, MUSC Motorsports, the organiser of last Friday’s drag race event, will not be allowed to organise any events at SIC or any other circuit until the ministry and relevant authorities give their approval.

According to Bernama, the decision was made after the ministry met with SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif as well as MUSC Motorsports and representatives of the Motorsports Association of Malaysia.

“The ministry views the breach in SOP very seriously, especially when we are in the midst of restarting the sports industry that was badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As such, the ministry hopes that all sports organisers and enthusiasts will cooperate and do their part to comply with the SOP set by the government,” the statement read.

The ban is only limited to drag races, SIC is still allowed to host other motorsports activities with approval from the ministry and relevant authorities as long as there was SOP compliance.

Last Friday, the KLIA district police chief Imran Abd Rahman confirmed that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) fined a motorsport organiser RM 20,000 for violation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) SOPs.

A video of the situation last Friday even showed a PDRM vehicle at the circuit trying to disperse the chaotic crowd at SIC.