Published: 12 January 2015
The threat to bomb the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) may hurt tourist numbers if linked with militant groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis). – Reuters pic, January 12, 2015.Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib is worried that the world will link recent threats to bomb the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) with militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis), Sinar Harian reported today.
Ahmad Phesal (pic, right) said he did not want the bomb threat to be made into a big issue as it could jeopardise the number of tourists coming to Malaysia.
"KLCC is a tourist attraction. If this is made into a big issue and the rest of the world learns of it, there are concerns they will not want to come," Ahmad Phesal was quoted as saying by the Malay-language daily.
The New Straits Times reported that the mayor's office had received a letter on Thursday with a threat to bomb KLCC if RM10 million were not banked into four bank accounts.
Quoting a source, the English-language daily said the note was written in Malay and in capital letters.
Ahmad Phesal said they would leave it up to the authorities to carry out investigations.
"Although there were recent bomb threats in Paris and Sydney, we don't want to the people to panic here," he said.
The New Straits Times quoted deputy inspector general of police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim as saying that initial investigations showed the threat could have been made by a disturbed individual.
Investigations also found that the four bank accounts belonged to four different people whom the police believe are not involved in the bomb threat.
The case is now being investigated under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation. – January 12, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/kl-mayor-worried-klcc-bomb-threat-will-harm-tourist-numbers#sthash.UEWULW4O.dpuf
The police have given their assurance that Kuala Lumpur is safe despite an alleged bomb threat received by mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib recently.
City police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said there was no cause of concern should the public wish to visit the city.
“We have beefed up our security in the area and we assure that it is safe.
“If the public want to visit anywhere in the city please proceed without fear,” he said Tuesday.
Comm Tajuddin added that police are in the process of identifying the individual who issued the bomb threat.
“We are on top of it. The people can go about their lives without fear,” he said.
On Saturday, an English daily reported that Ahmad Phesal had received a letter by an individual who threatened to explode a major tourist destination should the RM10mil ransom not be met.
