Police to haul up MP if linked to video on alleged crowding at CIQ complex

CORONAVIRUS | The police will investigate a Facebook page alleged to have been used to upload a video that caused alarm among the people, before calling up an MP, who is also a former deputy minister, to record a statement.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (photo) said the police had opened an investigation paper on the video, which allegedly showed Malaysian workers returning from Singapore crowding the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex, Sultan Iskandar Building in Johor Baru.

“Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir lodged a police report at the Larkin station yesterday, and the case will be investigated under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,” he told reporters in Johor Baru yesterday.

Ayob Khan said investigations into the case had been taken over by the Bukit Aman Classified Criminal Investigation Unit.

According to him, the video not only caused alarm to the public but also law enforcement agencies.

He confirmed that the video was actually of a fire drill conducted at the complex late last year, and that the individual who spread the video should have first checked its authenticity.

“Facebook has to confirm (if the video was uploaded by the MP); if it’s true, the MP will be called in for an investigation,” Ayob Khan said.

In another development, Ayob Khan said police would step up enforcements at roadblocks following the extension of the movement control order (MCO) as announced yesterday.

He said police had identified 80 jalan tikus or backdoor routes in the state, and roadblocks would be carried out at roads connecting to them.

"In the Simpang Renggam area, which is under the enhanced MCO, there are more than 200 personnel on duty there. We will not be adding any more, but next week, we will be enhancing the roadblocks," he said. - Bernama

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