TAWAU: A foreigner has been arrested over the alleged molestation of a 13-year-old girl in Kalabakan, while a fire destroyed a house and an open storeroom in Sandakan on Sept 21.
District police chief ACP Rosdi Mat Jusoh said the man was arrested at about 9.45 am by a team from the Kalabakan Police Station after police received information about the incident.
He said that at about 4.40 am, the girl was in a shophouse when she claimed she heard a noise resembling a cat, before a man whose face was covered suddenly pulled back the curtain and approached her.
The man then allegedly climbed onto the mattress where the girl was. She screamed for help and fought back when the suspect tried to get close to her.
The girl also claimed she was kicked by the man before the suspect fled. The suspect, a foreigner in his 40s with no identification documents, was arrested in the vicinity of a commercial area in Kalabakan.
“He has been detained, and the case is being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (Act 792),” Rosdi said.
In the fire incident, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Operations Centre received an NG999 call at 3.37pm for a fire at Kampung Sungai Tinduk off Mile 19 Jalan Labuk, Sandakan. A fire engine arrived at 4.27pm, about 39km away.
The operation was led by PBK I Hazmizan Maksit and involved 14 personnel from the Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station, with assistance from two police personnel.
At 4.30pm the fire spread to a wooden house and a storage yard, both 100% destroyed. Firefighters fought the blaze using one stream with two water jets from the engine.
The fire was brought under control at 4.34pm and no victims were reported. Overhaul work was completed at 5.16pm, and the operation ended after ensuring there was no further danger. – James Leong
Sandakan firemen battling the blaze at Kampung Sungai Tinduk on Monday.
