Well Done SAC (I) Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff

Police have arrested two men under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for allegedly sending SMSes to spread rumours about race riots in the state. The two men, in their 20s, were arrested yesterday following police reports lodged over the matter over the past few days.

It is learnt that more are expected to be picked up as investigations into the case progressed.

Acting state police chief Senior Asst Comm (I) Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff confirmed the arrests and said investigations were being carried out under Section 28 of the Internal Security Act. “I wish to stress here that security in the state is under control and that the SMSes and e-mails being circulated are purely rumours and malicious,” he said.

SAC I Mokhtar said the police would not hesitate to take action against anyone for spreading or forwarding such messages including investigating them under the ISA.

It is learnt that as a precautionary measure, police have stepped up patrols around the city and have even increased roadblocks.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that there was no truth to the rumours of a race riot in the country. He said the SMS messages of racial clashes in Pasir Gudang, Johor, which had been circulating since Monday were “lies, lies and nothing more than lies.”

***** That was indeed fast! As many of you would be aware, one such SMS which was circulated claimed that that the kaum India would be causing trouble and perpetrating violence at Pasir Gudang. It advised that Malays be very careful, exercise vigilance and stay indoors or at least away from that area on the 29th and 30th of August! I wonder what could have been the purpose of implicating one race group and scaring another and could there be some bigger dalang behind these SMS-sending idiots?

It is to the credit of the acting Johor CPO Mohd Mokhtar that he has taken speedy action and nabbed the guilty rumour mongering bastards. The authorities should now proceed to immediately charge these scum in court and let them languish in jail without continuing to resort to the ISA.

In the past fortnight as our newspapers have been reporting, the acting CPO has cracked down on criminals on several fronts. This is in sharp contrast to the earlier chap (I wonder what happened to him) when the Johor police looked jaded and lethargic. These days we find few opportunities to congratulate the police, especially its senior officers. We need efficient pegawai2 kanan like Mohd Mokhtar. Well done.
Image - Source