JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 13 — Johor police opened 9,897 investigation papers involving commercial crimes in the first nine months of this year, with losses totalling RM212.64 million.

Its chief, Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad, said the figure represented an increase of 3,036 cases from the 6,861 recorded during the same period last year, although financial losses declined from RM252.57 million.

He said more than 90 per cent of the cases reported between Jan 1 and Sept 30 involved online scams.

“The increase in reported cases calls for more proactive measures. Fraud and scams continue to evolve alongside technological advances and an increasingly sophisticated digital landscape,” he said at the Johor Police contingent’s monthly assembly here today.

Ab Rahaman said the state’s crime index also rose to 4,343 cases during the same period, compared with 4,152 last year.

Violent crimes increased to 1,123 cases from 981, while property crimes rose to 3,220 from 3,171, he added.

Separately, Ab Rahaman said police were awaiting instructions and a formal decision from the Johor State Prosecutor’s Office on whether to charge the suspect in the murder of Form Four student Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal.

He said the investigation papers on the case were referred to the office on October 9.

“The suspect is a juvenile, and this requires more careful consideration by the Johor State Prosecution Director,” he said.

Irene Sofiya was found unconscious and covered in blood at a school hall in Yong Peng, Batu Pahat, at about 5pm on October 3. She was later pronounced dead.

A 16-year-old boy was remanded for six days from October 4 to assist investigations, with the remand subsequently extended for another six days until Friday. — Bernama