Setting fire to courthouses: Same threat, different suspects - IGP

Although the intention was the same -- to set fire on all courthouses in Malaysia on the eve of Chinese New Year -- the suspects were different, said Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

One threat was made by a duo of students from the University of Science Malaysia (USM) and the University of Selangor (Unisel), while the other was by a group of four masked individuals via a YouTube video that was uploaded last Sunday.

The police has since detained the university students, in their early 20's, after they put up ‘provocative’ posters on their plan to set courthouses on fire at 11.40pm.

“We detained them at a location in Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon and they are being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948.

“The police will be on their toes tonight,” he said.

Khalid said, the police would not stay put and will act accordingly against those who try to gather illegally to protest the court decision to convict Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a move that is seen as trying to disrupt public order.

“The the decision is against Anwar, they (Anwar’s supporters) blame the court, blame the government.

“When the decision was in Anwar’s favour previously, why didn’t anyone criticise the court?” Khalid told the media at the launch of the ‘Balik Kampung’ campaign at the Jalan Duta Toll Plaza here today.

He said, the Opposition Leader’s supporters need to accept the court decision objectively and not try to demand for Anwar’s release via illegal assemblies.

Meanwhile, Khalid said his men were still trying to trace the owner of the YouTube account “Isis Malaysia 69” which had published a video trying to influence the public to protest the judicial system in Malaysia.

In the minute-long video, four masked individuals donning all-black outfits had threatened to set off firecrackers at courthouses tonight at 11.30pm.