File photo for illustration purposes. Photo source: Pxfuel

KUCHING, Jan 30: The Padawan police have debunked an armed robbery incident that supposedly took place in Kampung Siburan Cina Lorong 9 that went viral on WhatsApp recently.

In a statement, Padawan district police chief Superintendent Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said they got wind of the ‘news’ which was circulated on WhatsApp at around 1pm today.

“It supposedly involved three or more masked suspects committing robbery using weapons. This post has been spread into several WhatsApp groups until it has reached us,” he said.

He went on to clarify that no such incident happened in the Padawan district, especially Siburan, this year.

While there was a robbery that happened on Jan 29, it was in the Serian district.

Abang Zainal then warned that making up news and spreading it to disrupt the peace is a serious offence that can be investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act and Section 504 of the Penal Code.

“The police do not take this lightly and are investigating the origin of the viral message,” he said.

In the statement, he also warned the public to be careful of a group of four to five individuals wearing hoods or baseball caps walking around the back of houses after midnight.

He also advised them to not take the matter into their own hands and to contact the police at 082-862233. — DayakDaily