Malaysia police seek British ‘van life’ couple over traffic stop bribery video

Police say Chris and Marianne Fisher, who post about their globe-trotting adventures on social media, are believed to be in a ‘neighbouring country’

The couple filmed a policeman allegedly accepting cash to settle a traffic ticket along a road connecting Simpang Pulai and Cameron Highlands

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Chris and Marianne Fisher, the British couple behind the TreadTheGlobe YouTube channel, in their van “Trudy”. Photo: YouTube/TreadTheGlobe

Published: 10:04am, 30 Jan 2024Updated: 4:06pm, 31 Jan 2024

Police in Malaysia have asked a British couple known on social media for their globe-trotting adventures in a camper van to come forward in an investigation involving a traffic policeman who allegedly abused his authority.

In one of their recent videos during a trip to Malaysia, Chris and Marianne Fisher filmed a traffic policeman offering to settle a traffic ticket that he had just issued.

Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said officers were looking for the Fishers who are behind the “Tread the Globe” videos on social media.

Chris Fisher hands cash to a policeman in Malaysia after being stopped for speeding in their Fiat Ducato van “Trudy” in this still from a social media video. Photo: YouTube/TreadTheGlobe

“Bukit Aman needs to determine where the incident occurred, whether in Kelantan, Pahang or Perak,” said Yusri, adding that the case was being handled by the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department. “They also need to identify the time, date and policeman involved.”

“The police believe the couple are in a neighbouring country,” he told reporters after attending an event at the state police headquarters on Monday.

In the video that was posted on Sunday, a traffic policeman can be seen stopping the couple for allegedly speeding downhill along a road connecting Simpang Pulai and Cameron Highlands in their camper van named “Trudy”.

In the video, the officer claims the Fishers were travelling at a speed in excess of the 60km/h (37mph) limit and told them they had two options: either pay 300 ringgit (US$63) at a police station to settle the summons or pay 100 ringgit on the spot.