Eight male teenagers on bicycles were killed after they were mowed down by a car in Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, beside the Mahmoodiah cemetery, near Johor Baru, early this morning.

Johor Bahru Selatan District Police chief, ACP Sulaiman Salleh said eight others were injured, two critically in the 3am incident.

"The injured are being treated at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital," he told reporters at the hospital mortuary in Johor Baru today.

He said a group of 30 to 40 teenagers, aged 13 to 17 years, on bicycles were believed to have obstructed Jalan Lingkaran Dalam and other nearby roads before before being mowed down by the car.

"A 22-year-old woman driving a car from Taman Pelangi ploughed into a group of the youths when she was believed to have failed to brake in time," said Sulaiman.

"The driver also sustained minor injuries and was sent to the hospital as she was traumatised," said Sulaiman.

He said the woman was currently detained to help in investigation.

He said of the 16 victims, six were still schooling.

"The case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987," he said.

Sulaiman said preliminary investigation found the woman was not drunk and was not speeding during the incident.

Sulaiman said police found the bicycles used by all the victims had been modified and were not following the permitted specifications.

"The offence is under Part Three of the Highway Code whereby a cyclist must abide by the method in paragraph five until Article 68 and summonses could be imposed under the Malaysia Highway Authority Act 165/69 for modifying a bicycle.

"Action too can be imposed on the guardian who is negligent under Section 33 of the Child Act 2001 for not supervising their children," he said.

As such, he reminded parents to always monitor the activities and movements of their children.

Throughout last year, he said 28 modified bicycles had been seized during 28 operations.

For this year alone, Sulaiman said 17 bicycles were seized in five operations conducted.

State education director Shaharudin Sharif confirmed the eight students killed were:

• Muhammad Firdauz Danish M. Azahar, 16, studying at SMK Damai Jaya;
   
• Mohammad Azrie Danish Zulkefli, 14, SMK Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat;
   
• Haizad Kasrin, 16, SMK Permas Jaya;
   
• Muhammad Shahrul Nizam Maruddin, 14, SMK Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat;
   
• Fauzan Halmijah, 13, SMK Desa Cemerlang;
   
• Muhamad Shahrul Izzwan Azzuraimee, 15, SMK Dato Abdul Rahman Yasin;
   
• Mohamad Azhar Amir, 16, SMK Permas Jaya; and
   
• Muhammad Harith Iskandar Abdullah, 14, SMA Swasta Pasir Gudang.

- Bernama