A Youth and Sports Ministry official had confirmed that no one had died during an accident at a drag race event held at the Hari Belia carnival in Putrajaya yesterday.

According to Sports Development Department senior assistant director Saipuddin Zakaria, four youths between the ages of 18 to 30 are, however, suffered injuries and were hospitalised.

Drag race crash “One suffered a broken thigh bone, two have internal bleeding while another broke his arm and leg,” he said when contacted.

The four men, who were rushed to Hospital Putrajaya last night, sustained injuries when a drag racer lost control of his car and crashed into a safety barricade.

One of the four has been transferred to Hospital Kuala Pilah, where he hails from, today.

Saipuddin said that 13 others received outpatient treatment for injuries sustained during the incident, which happened at around midnight.

“What happened was that the car crashed into the safety barricade and climbed onto the divider.

“The spectators were already instructed to stay off the dividers but they did not listen and were injured as a result,” he said.

He added that those injured are covered under public liability insurance undertaken by the carnival organisers.

The drag race was jointly organised by the Youth and Sports Ministry and MUSC Motorsports.

“MUSC had organised such events since 2004 and this is the first time an accident has occurred,” he said.

According to MUSC’s official Facebook page, the accident happened during a turbo original equipment manufacturing (OEM) class race.

As a result, a motorcycle drag race which was scheduled for today has been cancelled.

MUSC also posted a photograph of Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek visiting the scene of the accident earlier this afternoon.

“God willing, we will have a proper drag racing strip soon,” it said. 

Minister: Accidents happen

Meanwhile according to Bernama , Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek today asked that the accident not be politicised.    

"Accidents can happen anywhere. Even if it did not happen here, there is no guarantee that it won't happen somewhere else.    

"This programme involves 500 activities and millions of visitors, and this case should not discourage youths from engaging in healthy activities like sports," he told reporters after visiting the victims at Putrajaya Hospital.    

In the incident at Lebuh Wadi Ehsan in Precinct 19, 17 spectators were injured, four, seriously, when one of the cars skidded and crashed into them.        

Among those warded are Muhammad Iskandar Rasiq Shaari, 20, who has been placed in the intensive care unit after suffering some haemorrhage in the head, liver and spleen, and Ami Nakim, 27, whose legs and left hand were fractured.    

Muhamad Fairuz Jalaludin, 27, was undergoing surgery during the minister's visit while another victim had been transferred to Kuala Pilah Hospital.    

Ahmad Shabery said he would discuss with the relevant parties on the assistance to be offered to the victims.    

"The hospital is providing the necessary treatment and we are prepared to assist in whatever way as what is most important, is that they recover fully. So, if it involves additional costs and so on, we will discuss this with the hospital," he said.    

Meanwhile, the families of the victims said they were not blaming any party for the accident and had accepted it as fate. 

VIDEO | 8:04