THe Malaysian police have arrested two men for impersonating police officers and chasing a car that was driving from Singapore to Genting Highlands, following a viral video posted online about the incident that caused concern amongst both Singaporeans and Malaysians.
The police chief of Johor, Kamarul Zaman Mamat, officially confirmed on June 6th that two Malaysian males, aged 43 and 48, were apprehended during a police operation conducted at 6 pm on June 5th.
Kamarul Zaman disclosed that one of the individuals under suspicion is a government employee but refrained from providing any further specifics. Furthermore, it was revealed that one of the detained men had a previous conviction relating to drug offenses, as documented in police records.
Throughout the operation, law enforcement seized a Honda City automobile and various items including a portable beacon light, reflective vest, torch light, and headlight.
If proven guilty, the two suspects could potentially face a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a monetary fine, or both. Moreover, if charged under the Customs Act, they might be subject to imprisonment for a period ranging from six months to five years, in addition to a financial penalty.
Currently, it remains uncertain whether a third arrest has taken place; however, there are indications that another individual was present in the vehicle alongside the two detained men.
The person who recorded the video footage advised fellow motorists not to halt on the expressway if they encounter a similar situation.
Recap
The incident occurred when the perpetrators targeted a driver traveling from Singapore to Genting Highlands. The matter came to the attention of the Kulai police department after a video capturing the incident was widely circulated on social media and subsequently reported on Monday, June 5th.
The location of the incident is believed to be the North-South Highway near the Sedenak exit in Kulai, located in the state of Johor. Acting police chief superintendent Yusof Othman provided details about the video, which was uploaded on Facebook by the account owner named Freeman Gan WT. The video shows Gan being pursued by a car carrying individuals posing as policemen.
According to Yusof Othman, the suspects are three unidentified men who were wearing face masks and used blue beacon lights on their vehicle. They also made hand gestures to signal the victim to stop his car.
In his Facebook post, Freeman Gan WT mentioned that he initially believed the pursuers were genuine police officers due to the presence of flashing blue lights on their car. The incident occurred around 5:40 am in Kulai while Gan was driving with a friend towards Genting Highlands.
He noticed a car tailing them and, at around 37 kilometers, found the same car next to his with flashing blue lights. He assumed it was the police and was prepared to pull over.
However, Gan became suspicious when he realized that the car was following them at various speeds. He informed his friend that they might be dealing with imposters impersonating the police. To evade them, Gan decided to increase his speed and prevent the car from overtaking.