Remember the bomb hoax in Subang’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport just 2 days ago (Tuesday, 18th May)?
The police have acted in a very efficient manner, as it is reported that a businessman in his 40s has been arrested in connection to the case. Police arrested the unnamed man who is believed to be one of the passengers of the flight.
It is learnt that the man arrived at Subang Airport intending to board the flight heading to Singapore, but realised that he left his passport at home. After retrieving his passport, the man arrived at the airport only to find out that the flight departed as scheduled. He then tried to make the aircraft turn back by making the bomb hoax call.
However, the suspect, an electrical appliances shop owner, changed his mind about travelling to Singapore and returned home. Hours after the incident, police traced the man at Batu Caves through the telephone number used to make the threat. He was subsequently held by the Petaling Jaya CID team at a house in Taman Bukit Permata.
Police had earlier picked up the suspect’s male employee for questioning, also at Batu Caves.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Mohd Zani Che Din said the businessman is reprimanded for alleged “criminal intimidation by anonymous communication” under Section 507 of the Penal Code.
On Tuesday, 40 passengers and 13 flight crew were grounded in the Subang airport after a bomb hoax caused a 4-hour delay for a Firefly flight. The plane took off at 7:40pm, but staff received 2 anonymous calls around 8pm, claiming that there was a bomb on the plane.
A bomb squad swept the plane for over 3 hours but no explosives were found on board.
UPDATE (31st May, 10:03am):
Wong Choon Loong, 41, was charged under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication at the magistrate’s court for making the fake bomb threat.
The businessman, who is also a director for several companies, pleaded not guilty to having instilled panic and fear by claiming that there was an explosive on board Flight 3251.
If Wong is found guilty, he could face a maximum of 2 years in prison, a fine or both of the punishments.
Magistrate Atiqah Abdul Karim set bail at RM 8,000. Wong’s lawyer, L. H. Yap, appealed for a lower bail, explaining that his client had many companies to run.
Magistrate Atiqah fixed the hearing date on 28th June.
Sources: The Sun Daily, The Star.
