NSF among 3 bikers fined by Malaysian court for illegal racing on Second Link highway

SINGAPORE – All service personnel are expected to behave responsibly and to follow the laws of the countries they visit, the Ministry of Defence said on Nov 5, after a full-time national serviceman was convicted of illegal racing and dangerous motorcycle riding in Malaysia.

Syajahan Alfian Abdullah, a 19-year-old NSF, was among three men fined by a Malaysian court on Nov 3, after they pleaded guilty to separate charges before a magistrates’ court in Johor Bahru, Malaysian news outlets The New Straits Times (NST) and Malay Mail reported.

The other two were Malaysians Muhammad Daniel Hakim Mohamad Rashid, 24, and Gonzales Mckhovic Anak George, 18.

They were each fined RM3,500 (S$1,100), the news outlets reported, and would have been jailed four months if they failed to pay it. All three paid their fines.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Singapore MINDEF spokesperson said that Syajahan Alfian, who holds the rank of private, was in Malaysia in his personal capacity at the time of the incident.

“⁠MINDEF and SAF expect all service personnel to conduct themselves responsibly and to respect and abide by the laws of the countries they visit,” the MINDEF spokesperson said, using the acronym for the Singapore Armed Forces.

According to NST, the three men’s cases are among the first prosecutions under Malaysia’s Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2026, which came into effect on Oct 16. Among others, the amended Act aims to strengthen road safety and enforcement, and specifically criminalises illegal racing and speed testing on public roads, NST reported.

According to the charge sheet, Syajahan Alfian was accused of riding a motorcycle at high speed and participating in a high-speed contest at the 12.5km mark of the south-bound section of the Second Link Expressway at 2.10am on Oct 18, the Malay Mail reported.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Daniel Hakim and Gonzales Mckhovic were each charged with racing their motorcycles on the north-bound section of the Second Link Expressway between the 7.8- and 18.2-km marks at 2.10am on Oct 18, according to the charge sheets, per Malay Mail.

The three of them were unrepresented, Malay Mail reported.

Daniel Lai is a journalist at the ST Now team, covering breaking news and international affairs.