Public assault on youths an ‘isolated case’: Sabtu

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KUCHING: State police commissioner Dato Seri Muhammad Sabtu Osman has described the public assault of two youths at a mall here on Sunday as an ‘isolated case’ which was not in any way linked to gangsterism.

Allaying public fears that the incident was linked to criminal gangs, Sabtu said however that police will be conducting background checks on those arrested to see if they possessed prior arrest records.

He also confirmed that five persons had so far been detained in connection with the incident, and that police had already contacted one of the victims and were attempting to locate the other.

“I have also instructed my men to get in touch with the management of the mall to discuss about their security guards, who did not appear to do anything or were slow to intervene and stop the assault.

“I am also quite appalled that there were bystanders in the video who seemed to be applauding and cheering during the assault.”

Sabtu went on to call on the public to never take matters into their own hands as there were laws in this country which must be respected.

Meanwhile, district police chief ACP Roslan Bek Ahmad revealed that police had so far arrested the 45-year-old stepfather, his 50-year-old wife and her 18-year-old daughter in Sibu, along with two men, aged 43 and 46, here in Kuching.

He said initial investigations revealed the stepfather, wife and daughter had confronted the youths after they had allegedly pushed the teenager on November 27.

The trio, he added, had tried to advise the youths not to bother her again but were apparently ignored by the pair.

“All five suspects will be remanded today for further investigation under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting in public,” said Roslan.