KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Police have ruled out a bomb threat made to Bursa Malaysia earlier and reopened the building to the public.
An auxiliary police officer was seen using a loudhailer to inform Bursa staff and tenants that the previously evacuated building was no longer under any danger.
“For your information, the PDRM has informed that the Bursa Malaysia building is safe for entry.
“Take note when you return to your respective offices, if there is anything odd, please notify security personnel immediately,” he said to loud cheers from the crowd.
The police are expected to give a press conference soon on the purported bomb threat.
Earlier, Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Seri Tajuddin Atan said the phone operator received a call at around 12.01pm regarding a bomb threat at the Bursa building and a neighbouring Hindu temple, confirming that the entire building was evacuated as the police and its bomb squad moved in for inspection.
He said then however that the local stock market’s trading activities resumed and went on as usual.
Police earlier sealed off access to the area that included the Courthill Sri Ganesar temple along Jalan Pudu Lama that leads to the Bursa Malaysia.
The Bursa Malaysia building was also evacuated of all occupants.
Police also deployed a canine unit to the vicinity.
Datuk N. Sivakumar, a temple trustee and a member of the temple committee, said police had contacted the priest at around 1.40pm and sought permission to inspect the area.
“They said they received a call, so they want to do some checking. The call came to Bursa, according to Bursa Saham the news was linked to temple,” he told reporters when met near the temple which was subsequently evacuated.
When contacted after Bursa Malaysia was declared safe, Sivakumar confirmed that the police have removed the cordon around the temple and roadblock at Jalan Pudu Lama around 2.45pm, with the purported bomb threat there found to be “false information”.
“They cleared. They said there’s no such threat. They did checking, they said there’s nothing,” he told Malay Mail Online, adding that the police searched the temple and its surrounding areas such as the nearby shoplots.
“The road and temple is open as normal,” he told Malay Mail Online,” he said, adding that temple devotees have already started trickling in for a scheduled special prayer ceremony at 4pm and main prayers at 6pm.
Commending the police for conducting the search of the temple in a “proper” and respectful manner, Sivakumar said it was better to take preventive action in such circumstances.
He said police have advised the temple management to notify them upon discovery of any suspicious items in the temple premises such as bags that are left unattended.
