A police report has been lodged following a distressing account by a Taiwanese tourist who claims she was subjected to extortion and sexual harassment by police officers on July 7.
According to Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, the report was lodged by Sea Park police station chief Ngo Su Siao.
He said his aide, Dic Lai, who is also the Federal Territory DAP assistant organising secretary, followed up on the case with the police today.
In a Facebook post this evening, Lim said that with the consent of the victim, Lai also provided relevant evidence to the police.
“The police chief has confirmed the identity of the officers involved, and a formal police report has been lodged.
“Authorities will launch an investigation under the Penal Code, and the Department of Integrity and Compliance Standards will also open an internal investigation,” said the DAP lawmaker.
Police have since confirmed opening a probe into the incident, with an investigation paper opened under Section 384 of the Penal Code for extortion.
The section stipulates that those found guilty of the offence can be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine, whipping, or any two of the punishments.
In a statement, Petaling Jaya district police chief Shahrulnizam Ja’afar said police were alerted to the event through the victim’s social media post.
“The Petaling Jaya district police headquarters views the allegations seriously and will not compromise with any officer who takes advantage and tarnishes the good name of the force, whether the victim is a citizen or non-citizen,” he added.
Alleged extortion, harassment at roadblock
The victim, identified as Tsai Yen An, recounted that the incident occurred around 9pm while she and her family were travelling by Grab to the SS2 night market in Petaling Jaya.
According to Tsai, their vehicle was stopped by about seven or eight uniformed police officers at a roadblock just before reaching the night market.
She said that while nervously searching for her passport, she accidentally triggered her phone’s video recording, which led an officer to accuse her of secretly filming them.
Tsai alleged that she was forced out of the car, her phone was confiscated, and officers refused to let her use a translator or make calls.
She claimed the officers demanded RM10,000 or threatened to detain her overnight. They also allegedly forced her to unlock her banking app and checked her account balance before pressuring her to pay.
Her family was then allegedly driven away by the Grab driver, leaving her alone with the officers.
She claimed an officer later offered to release her if she paid RM1,000 and agreed to go drinking with him after his shift.
Tsai also alleged that officers searched her photos, deleted the accidental video, blocked her friend who called pretending to be her lawyer, and repeatedly harassed her.
“I cried and begged the police not to separate me from my family, but they ignored me.
“I just wanted to leave safely with my family, but in the end, I was left alone,” she wrote in a July 14 post, which has since gone viral.
She was finally dropped off near the SS2 night market after her family scraped together RM300, but she alleged that one officer continued to contact her, demanding to meet at her hotel.
Fearing for her safety, she changed hotels that night and blocked the officer.
Tsai urged other travellers to stay alert and speak up about similar experiences. - Mkini
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