KUALA LUMPUR: Be warned. Anyone spreading fake news on the shooting incident in Batu Arang, Selangor, or the amok case in Penang face immediate arrest.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said such fake news could lead to racial tension in the country.
“Police are now actively taking action because there are irresponsible individuals who try to exploit situations, we will not remain silent,” he told reporters at Bukit Aman here today.
He said the amok case at a factory in Bayan Lepas on Monday, which left a 53-year-old man and a woman injured while the assailant was shot dead by police, was an isolated one and did not involve any extremist groups or individuals.
The man who ran amok had attacked the victims, who were his colleagues, with a machete. The woman, aged 48, later succumbed to her injuries while the injured man was reported to be in stable condition.
On claims of the presence of a woman in the Batu Arang case on Saturday, in which police shot three men dead, Abdul Hamid said viralling of a video on this was an irresponsible act.
“Police are monitoring this matter seriously and will not hesitate to take action… do not be influenced by this.
“Don’t make your own decisions to add comments...those sharing articles like this and adding comments (on social media) will be arrested, no more warnings,” he said.
He also urged anyone with proof on the presence of the woman identified as G.Moganambal, 35, to come forward to assist investigations.
“An irresponsible individual has made baseless comments and accusations against the police… I have already said if there is proof come forward or wait for the inquest.
“A police report has been lodged against the individual who started the story that a woman was shot in her legs in the incident, the (police) officer concerned has denied that he had said such a thing happened,”h e added.
Yesterday, Selangor police chief Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin had said efforts to trace Moganambal who has been reported missing since Sept 14 were still ongoing. She has yet to be found.
Elaborating on the amok case, Abdul Hamid said the attacker was found to be been influenced by videos of violence in the Middle East, especially those claiming cruelty against Muslims.
“These videos if not understood properly or researched further might influence us...police found the suspect came from a good family but was influenced by these videos,” he said. - Bernama