SEMPORNA: Police detained three men after a brawl involving several individuals at Pulau Timba Timba was circulated on social media on Wednesday.
District acting police chief DSP Jaafar Hakim said a report was received at 7.56pm the same day from a tourism company manager, who claimed he was attacked while escorting a group of tourists to the island.
He said investigations showed the incident stemmed from a dispute over landing fees, with the complainant having already paid one company before being asked to pay again by another.
The disagreement escalated into a fight, which drew public attention online and sparked concerns about the safety of Semporna as a tourism destination.
Jaafar said an investigation paper was opened under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting, with three local men aged between 25 and 27 arrested, while advising the public not to speculate in ways that may affect the district’s image.
