Malaysia landslide: Civil servant arrested for allegedly stealing items from victims

KUALA LUMPUR: A civil servant has been arrested by Malaysian police for allegedly stealing items belonging to victims of the Dec 16 landslide tragedy at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali.

Acting Selangor police chief S. Sasikala Devi said the 27-year-old suspect was arrested in Klang Valley on Friday (Dec 6).

“During the arrest, the police confiscated items believed to belong to the victims of the landslide,” she said at a press conference on Saturday.

Sasikala said the police would apply for an order to remand the suspect for investigation under Section 379 of the Penal Code.

Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Suffian Abdullah revealed the police were alerted to a Facebook post believed to have been made by a family member of one of the 31 landslide victims, claiming that there were individuals using a Touch ‘n Go smart card belonging to a person who had died in the tragedy.

There were a total of 61 survivors, out of 92 people involved in the incident.