TEMERLOH: Police have arrested eight male gang members belonging to "Geng Musang" and "Geng Jep Gambang" who are believed to be involved in stealing and purchasing East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project cables, which resulted in estimated losses of over RM825,000.
Pahang police chief Comm Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said all of them were arrested in several raids in Temerloh, Kuantan and Bentong between Sept 10 and 14.
He said that of the suspects, aged between 29 and 45 years old, six were believed to be involved in stealing the project's cables, while the other two were believed to be workers and owners of a scrap metal shop who purchased the components.
"There are suspects who have previous criminal and drug offence records, while five people tested positive for methamphetamine," he said at a press conference at the Lanchang police station here Wednesday (Sept 17), which was also attended by Pahang Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Mohd Yusri Othman.
Yahaya said through the raids, his side seized project components estimated to weigh close to one tonne and to be almost 5km long, including several spools of copper cables and 18 cut cables.
He said all the cables concerned were found in a scrap metal shop in Kuala Lumpur, as well as behind a house and in a forest area in Temerloh.
Based on investigations, the cables were sold for over RM25 per kilogramme, he said.
According to him, the police are still pursuing three men, including two Cambodians from Geng Musang, and one local man from the Geng Jep Gambang, to assist with the investigation.
"Police are seeking the public's cooperation to channel any information to them and contact the nearest police station if they know or detect any of the suspects," he said.
He also said that the six suspects were arrested to assist in the investigation under Section 379 of the Penal Code and Section 431A of the Penal Code, while two others are being investigated under Section 411 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Comm Yahaya added that his team had asked ECRL to increase security controls along the 258km project section, which involves the construction of seven stations in Pahang.
Recently, China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) announced that 1,080m of cables along the Temerloh and Lanchang sections and 599m along the Lanchang and Bentong sections were stolen within just two weeks, potentially affecting the completion schedule of the national project. - Bernama
