KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) should get endorsement from the proper motorsports authorities if it intends to run its annual Educational Innovation in Motorsport and Automotive Race (EIMARace) next year, former racer Nik Iruwan Nik Izani said.
The karting enthusiast said it was insufficient for the university to use just any sanctioning body for approval to run its races, the latest which resulted in the death of two spectators in Kuantan, Pahang last month.
“In motorsports the equipment and guidelines used for safety are determined by the FIA and enforced by our sanctioning bodies,” he told The New Straits Times Online today, in response to UTM’s reported intention to continue with EIMARace next year.
“If they want to run a sanctioned motorsports event, they should play by motorsports rules, not Sirim or any other body,” he added, referring to the Scientific and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia, a product and services certification body.
He pointed out that motorsports organisers are governed by the rules laid down by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) or the International Committee of Karting (CIK) for four-wheeled racing.
Nik Iruwan had previously criticised the university for shedding its responsibility for the fatal accident when one of the race vehicles veered out of control on the track and crashed into a crowd on the sidelines.
He had pointed out that the vehicles used in the EIMARace were “buggiest” made out of automotive scraps as test projects by university students and were not road-worthy to test a driver’s skills.
He also suggested that the The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) and its affiliate, the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), stay out of future EIMARace events as both will have to be accountable for what happens if something goes wrong.
“They can go and race up trees or down a ravine, but if they are racing those vehicles then the MAM or AAM should just stay away from it. Let them run it at their own risk,” Nik Iruwan was quoted saying.
The MAM which had sanctioned the EIMARace was recently suspended by AAM for non-compliance of safety guidelines in the race.
A father and daughter were killed on September 25 where a go-kart rammed into spectators while they were witnessing the EIMARace 2016 in Kuantan, Pahang.
UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Wahid Omar reportedly said the annual race spurs innovation in students, and promised to comply with the Higher Education Ministry's new guidelines when the next race is held.
