JOHOR BAHRU – A man has been arrested for arson after he set fire to a Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) tow truck at a vehicle storage depot.
Johor Bahru South District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said the incident happened at about 11.07am on Friday after the suspect’s Perodua Axia had been towed by MBJB the day before.
“The suspect, who did not have money to pay the compound, was asked to file an appeal but felt the process was too difficult before taking action beyond the law,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Raub added that closed-circuit cameras (CCTV) footage showed the suspect pouring petrol and setting fire to the MBJB tow truck, causing a blaze with an estimated loss of about RM10,000.
Police acted quickly, arresting the suspect at around 1.06pm the same day.
Investigators also seized case items, including an aluminium container and a lighter.
Investigations revealed that the suspect had previous records under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, though his urine test came back negative for drugs.
The man has since been remanded for five days until Tuesday as police continue their probe under Section 435 of the Penal Code for committing mischief by fire.
If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to seven years and a fine.
Raub further warned that taking the law into one’s own hands is a dangerous act that can "threaten lives, destroy property, and disrupt public order."
Prior to the arrest, a CCTV recording of the arson attack had gone viral on social media, drawing public attention to the incident.