The police are searching for three men who were filmed escaping the barbed wire fence of a housing block under tight lockdown.
A police report was filed yesterday after the two-minute video went viral online, showing the three men taking turns to crawl underneath the fence, escaping the Pantai Ria flats in Pantai Dalam. It is not clear when the incident took place.
Brickfields police chief Anuar Omar said yesterday that efforts to track the individuals down were in full effect. Two of them were identified as a 34-year-old man as well as a 46-year-old man with numerous criminal cases that include various drug offenses, robbery, theft, and burglary. The third suspect has yet to be identified.
Pantai Ria is among places in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur that have been under the enhanced movement control order, or EMCO, until July 14 due to COVID-19.
The viral video of the escape was also shared by celebrities, Chef Wan and Harith Iskandar.
“This pandemic and resulting lockdown is taking a toll on all of us,” Harith said. “People are tired, scared, hungry and feeling worthless. We only hope it doesn’t push more people to do stupid stuff and hurt themselves or others. We need a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The celebrity chef condemned the escapees, speculating them to be drug addicts.
“Disgusting behaviour of how selfish some of us can be and to go under such lengths,” he said.
During the EMCO, only one person is allowed to make essential trips within a 10km radius of their homes between 8am and 8pm. Those working in essential services can go to work. Services related to food, medical and animals, and petrol stations can operate within the curfew.
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