Public advised not to panic, report to police over security threats

GEORGE TOWN: Members of the public have been advised not to panic but to report to the police instead, should they receive any information related to a security threat.

Penang Police Chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said this can help avoid the feeling of unsettling among the people who are unsure of the authenticity of the information.

As such, he said any form of security threat should be reported to the police so that follow-up action, including confirmation, can be made.

"Instead of making it viral on social media or TikTok, go straight to the police instead and we will take action accordingly.

"Do not panic and cause public concern. Report to us (if you receive a threat) and we will send a team to make sure whether it is true or false," he told reporters when met at the Penang Police Contingent Headquarters here today.

He said this in response to the bomb scares at several shopping malls and hotels in Johor Bahru last week.

However, Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat confirmed that the bomb-scare calls received by the police were fake and made by a man believed to be a foreigner.

In another development, Khaw said the Penang police had submitted investigation papers regarding the woman who drove against the traffic flow on Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway on Oct 1 to the Deputy Public Prosecutor's Office (DPP).

"The alcohol test came back negative, meaning that the woman was not drunk at the time of the incident.

"We have completed the papers and submitted it to the DPP...If the DPP agrees, we will proceed with the charge of dangerous and reckless driving," he said.

The woman who worked as a bank officer reportedly said that she was distracted and panicked, and drifted into the opposite lane before getting into an accident.

-- BERNAMA