Three policemen were detained on 12 September to help investigations into an alleged RM13,000 extortion case in Pulau Tikus, Penang, involving several men who were stopped in the early hours of 6 August.
Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng told The Star that the three male officers, aged between 30 and 48, were remanded for four days until 16 September. The case is being investigated under Section 384 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both upon conviction.
The incident involved a complainant and his three cousins, who went to Jalan Ladang Hong Seng in Pulau Tikus to look for a friend’s relative said to have been detained by police, NST reported. The group arrived at the location in the early hours of 6 August and were stopped by police at about 2.30am.
The victims claimed they were handcuffed and threatened with being linked to a Telekom Malaysia cable theft case if they did not hand over money. Frightened by the threats, they withdrew cash from an ATM on Jalan Burma and handed RM13,000 to one of the suspects in exchange for their release.
Dennis Lim confirmed the arrests on Sunday (13 September), saying police were conducting further investigations into the incident. He did not disclose the officers’ ranks or which station they were attached to. According to NST, the trio held the ranks of sergeant, lance corporal, and constable.
Under Malaysian law, police officers found guilty of extortion face disciplinary action in addition to criminal penalties. Section 384 specifically covers extortion by putting a person in fear of injury, and applies regardless of whether the accused is a civilian or a public servant. The penalty can include imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
The remand order, issued by a magistrate at the George Town court, allows investigators to question the suspects and gather evidence before deciding on next steps, which could include filing formal charges or releasing the officers on bail.
The detention comes more than five weeks after the alleged incident, a gap that has raised questions about the pace of the investigation. The case has drawn widespread attention online, with many calling for a thorough and transparent inquiry into the conduct of the officers involved. No further arrests have been made as of Sunday, and the police have not said whether the three officers have been released from remand.
