“But what I do I do because I like to do.”

- Anthony Burgess, 'A Clockwork Orange'.

COMMENT | Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman should be applauded in his efforts of reaching out to the basikal lajak subculture that is in keeping with his ministerial portfolio. Attempting to understand these kids -instead of attempting to capitalise on the death of kids like Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi - is one of the better plays of the Pakatan Harapan government.

I am sceptical of any government programmes to “guide” juveniles because eventually they turn into indoctrination programmes but let us see how this plays out.

External religious and political forces shape Malay kids from working-class or middle-class backgrounds. What we are talking about here is a host of variables that should not be dismissed by convenient political and social bromides.

The reality is that those kids who perished in the Johor bicycle tragedy were out looking for thrills and in their minds they were invulnerable...