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A 31-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested by police for allegedly setting fire to a Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) tow truck at the council’s impound facility along Johor Bahru Waterfront on Friday.
Johor Bahru South District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat, said the incident occurred at 11.07am and was believed to have been motivated by the suspect’s frustration over his Perodua Axia being towed two days earlier.
"The suspect, who could not afford to pay the compound fine, was advised to file an appeal. However, he considered the process overly burdensome and decided to take matters into his own hands," Raub said in a statement on Sunday.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed the suspect pouring petrol onto the MBJB tow truck before setting it alight, resulting in an estimated RM10,000 in damages.
A video clip of the incident, which went viral online, appeared to show the man dousing the vehicle with petrol from an aluminium container before using a lighter to ignite the blaze.
Police arrested the suspect at 1.06pm on the same day and seized several items, including the aluminium canister and a lighter believed to have been used in the act.
"Further investigation revealed that the suspect has a prior criminal record related to drug offences, although his urine test returned negative for banned substances," said Raub.
The suspect has been remanded for five days, from Friday until Tuesday, to assist with investigations under Section 435 of the Penal Code for committing mischief by fire. The offence carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a fine upon conviction.
Raub warned that taking the law into one’s own hands is a serious offence that poses risks to public safety, property, and civil order. - August 17, 2025
