As found in an article in the NEW STRAITS TIMES from Malaysia
By Go-Ram

The news of a jockey being beaten up by thugs outside the Selangor Turf Club's (STC) premises shattered the morning silence as riders were going through their final gallops on the eve of raceday.

Such incidents of this nature has happened again and again since racing was introduced to the local circuit by the British but little has been done to stop the thugs.

The racing fraternity dread the news of jockeys, trainers and officials of the turf being attacked by them. And the Malayan Racing Association (MRA) have done nothing other than saying that they will look into the matter.

Are they waiting for one or two jockeys to be seriously hurt or killed before they will provide escorts like what the Perak Turf Club (PTC) did when things were getting out of hand at one of their meetings.

Since early this season, members of the trainers' associations on both sides of the Causeway have been 'harassed, threatened and intimidated by a group of thugs' and have written to the MRA of their fears about their safety.

When the harassment, threats and intimidation were at its peak about two months ago, several trainers said they were approached and told to stop horses. (Stopping a horse is to prevent it from winning).

Trainers and jockeys can defy the orders of the thugs but what kind of protection will they get from the MRA?

The talk on the circuit is that Azhar Ismail, who was beaten up on Friday, may have defied their orders at the previous meeting.

If trainers and jockeys start to stay away from race meetings for fear of their lives, then the number of entries would suffer and it would affect turnover and government revenue.

The thugs have become bolder and they appear to want to take control of racing by striking fear into the hearts of those in the industry especially the jockeys and trainers.

Last week, the stipes concluded their inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the performance of Weekend Raider, which ran in Ipoh on May 3.

The stipes considered evidence from trainer Marinus can Breukelen, the clubs veterinary surgeon Dr Rajagopal and expert evidence presented by Drs Ray Hutchinson and K. Klein, Breukelen was found guilty to a charge under MRA Rule 200(6).

The particulars being that Breukelen, the trainer of Weekend Raider, raced the horse, although, investigation showed it had in its system an excess amount of fluid, sufficient to affect the performance of that horse. It was an offence of malpractice in relation to racing in this country punishable under MRA Rule 200(6).

He was disqualified for six months and was granted stay of execution.

Breukelen is believed to be the second trainer in the history of local racing to be charged under the rule.

The first was amateur trainer Leow Kee Beng who was found guilty of fraudulent practice under the same rule and banned for two years.