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A woman’s excitement over winning a Yamaha RXZ motorcycle was short-lived after an investigation revealed she exceeded the contest’s age limit, forcing her to forfeit the prize.
Suraiya Awi, 54, joined the raffle at the Melaka State Youth Carnival 2026 at MITC, Ayer Keroh, and was announced as the main prize winner during the carnival’s closing ceremony.
However, the competition was only open to participants aged 18 to 50. Since the rules stated that age would be automatically calculated from the entrant’s identity card number, questions arose over how the woman managed to qualify in the first place.
Umno Youth Chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who also represents the carnival organiser, said the issue stemmed from a technical error. Following discussions with the organisers, the woman agreed to return the motorcycle.
The organisers issued an apology and announced that the raffle would be re-held via a live broadcast, presided over by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf Yusoh. In this new draw, the winner was Nurathiqah binti Zaidi, 24.
Take the motorcycle and go
Just as the organisers thought the matter was settled, the woman’s child allegedly took to social media to express dissatisfaction, arguing that their mother had done nothing wrong and that the ordeal had left her embarrassed. The woman’s husband also allegedly made a separate video to complain.
Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the organisers had agreed to reimburse the woman in cash equivalent to the motorcycle’s value, which was why he believed the matter had been resolved.
He stressed that both parties had agreed to the terms. He also expressed disappointment that the woman’s husband, whom he knows personally, did not call him to discuss the issue before taking it online.
After much debate, he told the woman on Facebook to take the motorcycle home.
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