Suspect arrested for threatening to murder CM

KUCHING: Police believe they have solved the case of a murder threat posting in Facebook against Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg following the arrest of a 32-year- old gym assistant on Thursday.

Sarawak CID chief SAC Denis Leong Soon Kuai said the suspect was tracked down in Kota Samarahan and subsequently arrested at about 4.30pm that day.

Based on the information provided by Leong, the suspect had hacked into an account belonging to a person residing in the Peninsula, and made the threat via a post in Facebook.

“The suspect works as a gym assistant and was remanded today for 4 days to assist in the investigation. A handphone was seized and the suspect’s lady companion and another person were also called in to assist in the investigation, and were released soon after.

“At this moment, the motive points to jealousy. The suspect tried to put the (other) Facebook account holder into trouble with the authority because of his constant communication with his lady companion.

“This is classified under Section 507 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,” he said yesterday.

Leong added the police received a report on Sept 7, in Miri pertaining to a threat via a posting in the Facebook to murder the chief minister of Sarawak.

Initial investigation revealed that the threat could have been posted by the account holder residing in the Peninsula.

“Upon further investigation, CID from IPK Sarawak managed to determine that the Facebook account was used by another individual residing in Sarawak. The said individual was so brazen that he even challenged the police to arrest him,” he said.

The matter was brought to light after Abang Johari, when declaring open Pesta Belawai 2018 on Saturday, referred to the posting by a Facebook user on Sept 7, which threatened to kill him.

The chief minister said he would continue to defend the rights of Sarawakians despite intimidation from certain quarters.