KOTA BARU, Dec 29 — Kelantan police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim in refuting claims on social media that there was a high number of fatalities in the floods that hit Kelantan on December 17, said only nine deaths had been recorded by police while four are still missing.
Mazlan said action would be taken in accordance with Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act, against those who claimed on social media that the floods in Kelantan had claimed a high death toll.
He said of those who died, three were from Kota Baharu, four from Pasir Mas and two from Tumpat while one reported missing was in Pasir Mas and three others in Kuala Krai.
“All these victims were between one and 60 years old,” he told reporters at the state disaster media centre here, today when expressing regret over the spread of false news which had raised the ire of many.
Mazlan said no arrest has been made thus far but police have obtained reliable evidence of the party responsible for spreading false and malicious news.
In addition, he said, the state police had set up eight patrol teams, headed by Kelantan CID chief ACP Lai Yong Heng, to enforce security, especially to deal with burglary cases.
“So far we have not received any report of break-ins but we are confident that reports will be coming in when the floods subside,” he said. — Bernama
