MUAR: Police are investigating an influencer and his brother for allegedly providing false statements and staging a disappearance for personal gain.
Muar OCPD Asst Comm Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz reported that a 30-year-old man lodged a report on Tuesday (July 15) about his elder brother's alleged disappearance.
The man claimed that his 38-year-old brother went missing after informing him of a trip to Muar to repair his vehicle.
Following the report, a missing persons investigation was initiated, and a search and rescue operation launched.
However, police later found inconsistencies in the information provided and believe the disappearance was staged.
"Investigations revealed that the victim is believed to have submerged his wife’s car in Sungai Tui, Lenga, before fleeing to a neighbouring country.
"His younger brother later admitted to conspiring with him and pretending to carry out a search effort to mislead the police," said ACP Raiz Mukhliz.
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Both men's statements have been recorded, and further investigation will proceed upon obtaining an order from the Deputy Public Prosecutor.
The case is being investigated under Section 182 of the Penal Code for giving false information to a public servant and Section 109 for abetment.
If convicted, they face up to six months’ jail, a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both.
ACP Raiz Mukhliz reminded the public that lodging false police reports is a serious offence that wastes police resources and could jeopardise real emergency cases.
"Stern action will be taken against any individual found to have misused the police reporting system for personal or criminal purposes," he warned.
Previously, it was reported that an influencer known as Ija, whose real name is Tengku Nizaruddin Tengku Zainudin, had gone missing.
During four days of search and rescue operations, more than 70 policemen were deployed to search for him via land, sea, and air.
