ALOR SETAR: Police today confirmed there were elements of foul play in the fire incident, which destroyed six vans and three lorries at a garage in Lebuhraya Sultanah Bahiyah here.
The vehicles destroyed in the suspected arson attack belong to contractors appointed by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
Kota Setar district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Rozi Jidin said this follows the arrest of a man, in his 20s, to assist investigation into the case.
Rozi said police picked up the suspect from an undisclosed location at about 10pm, about 24 hours after the incident took place.
“We have arrested a suspect in connection with the case.
“Initial investigation showed, the suspect had admitted to have stolen fuel inside the destroyed vehicles.
“The suspect also admitted that he threw the cigarettes bud at the scene,” he said in a statement.
Rozi said urine test conducted on the suspect showed the latter was under the influence of methamphetamine. The suspect, he said, has no past criminal record.
Police also seized the several items and equipment belonging to the suspect to facilitate investigation into the case under Section 435 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire, which carries the maximum 14 days’ imprisonment and liable to a fine if found guilty.
The suspect has been remanded for a week beginning today.
“Apart from the vehicles, also destroyed in the arson attack included telecommunication equipment,” he said, adding that total losses estimated from the incident was RM90,000.
Meanwhile, Kedah/Perlis TM Public Relations manager Noridah Bachik said clarified previous reports claiming that the destroyed vehicles in the arson attack were assets belonging to TM.
“The vehicles belong to our contractors and not TM. This was verified by the owners of the vehicles,” she said in a statement.
It was reported that all six vehicles parked inside the garage were destroyed in the pre-dawn fire.