Duo set fire to restaurant a day before opening

 Johor Bahru police say they are looking for two men who wore crash helmets and masks.

Johor Bahru Selatan police chief Raub Selamat said the incident, which took place at about 3.35am, resulted in losses estimated at about RM200,000. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Police are looking for two men believed to have splashed fuel and red paint on a nasi kandar restaurant before setting it on fire in Bandar Dato’ Onn, Johor, early this morning, a day before it was scheduled to officially open.

Johor Bahru Selatan police chief Raub Selamat said the restaurant’s 30-year-old operator lodged a report just before 4am.

CCTV footage showed the two men, wearing crash helmets and masks, arriving at 3.34am before carrying out the attack.

“The incident resulted in losses estimated at about RM200,000. Its motive is still unknown,” Bernama reported him as saying.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 436 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire with intent to destroy.

The Johor fire and rescue department said it received an emergency call at 3.43am and dispatched personnel from the Tebrau and Kempas stations to the scene.

However, the fire had already been extinguished by the time firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.

The restaurant had previously announced that it would officially open tomorrow and was offering visitors free food in conjunction with the event. - FMT