KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police are looking for those responsible in placing a hidden camera within a wall power socket in a room of a lodging establishment here where a newly-wed Chinese couple had stayed in earlier this month.
This was after the tourists’ claims were published in a Chinese social media platform and went viral on Saturday (Sept 23).
It was subsequently picked by a number of online sites and news portals.
Kota Kinabalu Police Chief Asst Comm Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed the police have received a report from the Chinese pair at 5.27pm on Sept 7.
He said police had been monitoring the viral news over couple’s claims on the hidden camera being placed inside the room of a "homestay" in the state capital.
A probe had been conducted at the said premises, he said, adding they have seized the spy cam in question.
"Efforts are underway to identity the suspect(s) involved," ACP Mohd Zaidi said, in a statement on Saturday.
He added police were investigating the case under Section 509 of the Penal Code for outrage of modesty.
It was reported that the Chinese couple was shocked to find the camera strategically positioned within a wall socket to face their bed during their stay at a Airbnb in the Sabah capital.
The couple posted the alleged incident on Chinese social media platform, XiaoHongShu, questioning whether it was safe to travel in Malaysia, and in turn attracted much comments from netizens.
"Discovered hidden cameras in the guesthouse. Is it safe to travel to Malaysia?", wrote the tourist, identified as Zhenmei Beauty.
They had apparently landed in Kota Kinabalu at 2am on Sept 6, and after arriving at their place of accommodation later, was utterly shocked to discover the camera placed within two USB ports in the wall.
The couple said they had lodged a report over the matter but claimed they were advised by the police to remove their postings over the matter in their social media account.
To this, ACP Mohd Zaidi denied the claim, saying they had never asked the couple to do as such.
Towards this end, he urged those with information pertaining to the case to assist in the probe by contacting the Kota Kinabalu CID chief Deputy Supt Khairul Shah Peri at 011-2669 1994.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said she had contacted the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged incident.
