Police task force to investigate information leak from Keramat tahfiz fire probe
FAISAL ASYRAF
New Straits TimesSeptember 18, 2017
KUALA LUMPUR: Police will form a task force to investigate the leak of confidential information linked to the probe into the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school blaze on social media.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun reiterated that police were taking this matter seriously as to avoid a recurrence of information leakage in the future.
"I have ordered the city police to form a task force to investigate this matter and identify individuals who had leaked the confidential information linked to the case.
"If we find that police officers are involved, we will take action not only on the department level, but also based on criminal offence," said Mohamad Fuzi at Bukit Aman, here, today.
He spoke to reporters after a ceremony to acknowledge police athletes who were involved in and won medals in the recent Sea Games and the 12th World Police and Fire Games championship in Los Angeles.
Mohamad Fuzi said police officers had frequently been reminded in the past to keep crucial information surrounding investigations from being leaked to the members of the public, but some of them failed to adhere to the instructions.
On Sunday, police recorded statements from 13 of their own following the spread of the suspects' photographs on social media.
City police Criminal Investigations Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Rusdi Mohd Isa said the case is being investigated under Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities and Section 203A for disclosure of information.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier said that the leak should not have happened and all quarters should respect the investigation process.
On Thursday, 21 students and two teachers of the tahfiz school were killed when the buildin caught fire.
Seven teenagers, aged between 11 and 18, were arrested. They were said to have had a feud with some of the Tahfiz students, which led to the arson.
Mohamad Fuzi said he had ordered the city police to wrap up the investigations as soon as possible
