Malaysian police investigate after spycam found in newlywed Chinese couple’s Airbnb room
- The device was installed inside a wall power socket in a room of a lodging establishment in Sabah
- The case came to light after the tourists shared their ordeal on Chinese social media
Malaysian police are looking for those responsible for placing a hidden camera within a wall power socket in a room of a lodging establishment in Sabah state where a newlywed Chinese couple had stayed in earlier this month.
This was after the tourists’ claims were published in a Chinese social media platform and went viral on Saturday.
It was subsequently picked up by a number of online sites and news portals.
Kota Kinabalu police chief assistant commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed the police have received a report from the Chinese pair on September 7.
He said police had been monitoring the viral news over the couple’s claims on the hidden camera being placed inside the room of lodging they had booked to stay in Sabah.
A probe had been conducted at the said premises, he said, adding they have seized the spycam in question.
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“Efforts are under way to identity the suspect(s) involved,” Mohd Zaidi said in a statement on Saturday.
He added police were currently investigating the case under Section 509 of the Penal Code for outrage of modesty.
Malaysia’s Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing said on Sunday that stringent action will be taken against all homestay operators or owners who are registered under the ministry if they are found to have broken the law, including revoking their registration and grading.
“Stern and appropriate punishment should be imposed on any party found guilty because this kind of reprehensible act not only violates the laws but also affects the image of the country’s tourism industry,” Tiong said.
It was reported that the Chinese couple were shocked to find the camera strategically positioned within a wall socket to face their bed during their stay at an Airbnb in Kota Kinabalu.
“Discovered hidden cameras in the guest house. Is it safe to travel to Malaysia?”, wrote the tourist, under the name Zhenmei Beauty.
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They had apparently landed in Kota Kinabalu at 2am (local time) on September 6, and after arriving at their place of accommodation later, were in shock to discover the camera placed within two USB ports in the wall.
The couple said they had lodged a report over the matter but claimed they were advised by the police to remove their postings over the issue in their social media account.
To this, officer Mohd Zaidi denied the claim, saying they had never asked the couple to do as such.
Towards this end, he urged those with information pertaining to the case to assist in the probe by contacting the Kota Kinabalu CID chief deputy superintendent Khairul Shah Peri at 011-2669 1994.
