Metal‑cutting caused former Odeon Cinema blaze in Penang that killed Myanmar worker, probe finds6/9/2026
 A fire that destroyed an entertainment centre in the former Odeon Cinema building on Jalan Penang here on May 30, killing a Myanmar national, is believed to have been caused by metal cutting work using oxy-acetylene equipment.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah said forensic investigations found the fire was accidentally triggered during renovation works at the premises. “CCTV footage showed two of the three workers carrying out metal cutting work using an oxy-cutter set before hot molten metal residue fell onto combustible materials below and ignited a fire. “Investigations also found that the fire originated on the ground floor at the rear section of the premises, based on the account of a surviving witness,” he told reporters today. Mohamad Shoki said inspections by the department’s K9 Detection Unit found no traces of fire accelerants at the scene. He said the fire involved a two-storey heritage building with a floor area of about 900 square metres, adding that the value of the property and losses incurred were still being assessed. In the incident, firefighters received an emergency call at 8.50 pm on May 30. The body of construction worker Mohamad Boshi Sabi Ullah, 56, was found on the ground floor near the building’s front entrance with first-degree burn injuries. Timur Laut deputy police chief Supt Lee Swee Sake previously said the case had been classified as a sudden death report, with investigations finding no elements of foul play. A post-mortem examination determined that the victim died from smoke inhalation.  The Magistrate’s Court here today sentenced a 35-year-old man to three months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to stealing track cables belonging to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) three days ago.
Magistrate Nor Azilah Mat handed down the sentence on Railey Nasal and ordered that it take effect from the date of his arrest. Railey was charged with stealing a 40-metre-long 16-millimetre track cable and a 20-metre-long 2.5-millimetre track cable belonging to KTMB, with an estimated value totalling RM850, from the KTM railway track near Jalan Sembilang 8E, Jalan Telok Pulai, at about 1.20 pm on June 6. He was charged under Section 379 of the Penal Code, which provides a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both upon conviction. The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Sulfie Abu Hassan, while the accused was represented by lawyer Izzat Dzulkafli, from the National Legal Aid Foundation.  The Sessions Court here will sentence a security guard, who pleaded guilty to physically sexually assaulting a minor, on June 11.
Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan adjourned the sentencing of Mohd Firdaus Basir, 34, at the request of the prosecution. Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim told the court that the facts of this case were not ready. Mohd Firdaus pleaded guilty to hugging an 11-year-old girl and kissing her cheek for sexual purposes at a compound near a kindergarten in Tuaran at 5.50am on Jan 13. He was charged under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 (1) of the same Act. The Section 14 (a) provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and caning, while Section 16 (1) carries a jail term of up to five years and caning upon conviction. Mohd Firdaus said every human makes mistakes and appealed for leniency, calling on the court not to impose heavier punishments. The judge then explained that the court is not a robot that punishes without mercy and explained there is the opportunity for mitigation before the court passes any sentence. Mohd Firdaus, who did not have legal representation, will be further detained in custody, pending his sentencing.  Police are seeking help from the public to locate two 14-year-old schoolgirls who were reported missing yesterday.
Mukah police chief Muhamad Rizal Alias said Easter Agnes David and Frocilea Rajok Jessica were last seen in Mukah town on Sunday at around 1.30pm. He said the schoolmates are believed to have left with other friends after allegedly refusing to register at their school hostel. “The two missing girls are identified as Easter Agnes David, an Iban girl from Rumah Jali at Batu 15, Jalan Selangau-Mukah, while Frocilea Rajok Jessica is from Rumah Nelson Chuat Begeri, KM59 Jalan Mukah-Selangau,” he said in a statement today. Muhamad Rizal said efforts to locate the two girls around Mukah town have so far been unsuccessful, while attempts to contact them via their mobile phones have also failed. Easter is described as having a slim build, fair complexion, round face, straight hair, and 160cm tall. She was last seen wearing a short-sleeve orange T-shirt, long white pants, and black slippers. Frocilea has a slim build, oval-shaped face, brown complexion, straight hair, and is 165cm tall. She was last seen wearing a green-and-white short-sleeve T-shirt, long black pants, and white slippers. Those with information on the whereabouts of the two teenagers can contact investigating officer Insp Alexander Constantine on 013-5073256 or the Mukah District Police Headquarters on 084-871222, or head to the nearest police station.  A human skull believed to belong to an adult male was found in the waters off Sedili near Kota Tinggi after it became entangled in a local fisherman’s net on June 6.
Kota Tinggi police chief Supt Yusof Othman said the skull was discovered by a 44-year-old boat skipper at about 3 am before being handed over to the police. He said the skull was subsequently sent to the Forensic Unit of Kota Tinggi Hospital for further examination. “An examination conducted by a forensic medical officer confirmed that the skull is believed to belong to an adult male aged between 20 and 30 years,” he said in a statement. The case has been classified as a sudden death report. Members of the public who have missing family members or information related to the case are urged to contact Kuala Sedili police station chief SM Mohammad Aizat Ahmad at 018-246 4667 to assist in the investigation.  A 19-year-old university student has been remanded for a further two days as police continue investigating a crash at KM27 of Jalan Renggam-Simpang Renggam in Kluang last week that claimed the lives of four members of a family.
According to reporters, the latest remand order was granted by Magistrate Mustaqim Sukarno when the teenager, who studies at a university in Singapore, was brought before the Muar Magistrate’s Court today. Kluang police chief Assistant Commissioner Bahrin Mohd Noh said the fourth remand extension was sought to allow investigators to complete their probe into the fatal collision. The teenager was rearrested last Thursday after his initial remand period ended, following a referral of the investigation papers to the Attorney General’s Chambers. He was subsequently remanded for four days by the Kluang Sessions Court to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Bahrin said to the national daily that police are also continuing investigations under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, citing viral videos that allegedly showed the suspect driving at high speed and in a reckless manner before the crash. The suspect was driving a Mercedes-Benz A250, while his 22-year-old brother was behind the wheel of a BMW 530e. Police are investigating allegations that the two drivers were engaged in dangerous driving before a five-vehicle collision on Jalan Renggam–Simpang Renggam that killed four members of the same family. Videos purportedly showing the Mercedes being driven recklessly circulated on social media shortly after the incident. The suspect’s brother later died from injuries sustained in the crash while being taken to hospital for treatment. The teenager was initially detained under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act before his remand was extended several times by courts in Batu Pahat and Kluang as investigations progressed.  A 29-year-old man suffered severe burns after a fire involving a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder broke out in an apartment unit in Penampang, Sabah, today.
The victim sustained burns to nearly 80 per cent of his body in the incident, which occurred in the kitchen of the residence. According to reporters, Penampang Fire and Rescue Station chief Assistant Fire Superintendent Zeno Tingalan said emergency services were alerted at 11.15am, prompting the deployment of six firefighters, a fire engine and an Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) unit to the scene. “One victim suffered burns to approximately 80 per cent of his body as a result of the incident. “Firefighters immediately administered initial treatment to the victim before he was taken to hospital for further medical attention. “The fire and rescue team also carried out inspections to ensure there were no further hazards at the scene,” he said, as reported by the national daily. Zeno said the cause of the incident and the extent of the losses remain under investigation.  The Court of Appeal today upheld the 36-year prison sentence and 12 strokes of the cane imposed on five men, including two sets of brothers, for the murder of a man who was slashed with a sword.
A three-judge panel comprising Datuk Azman Abdullah, Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid unanimously dismissed the appellants’ bid to overturn their convictions and sentences, which were handed down by the Kuala Terengganu High Court on May 9, 2024. The five men are Aizz Amidie Aziz, 32; brothers Mohd Rizalman Awang, 36, and Zahaman Fairol, 39; as well as brothers Mohd Uwais Mat Nawi, 31, and Mohd Hafify, 30. They were found guilty of murdering Mohd Shahrulanuar Dek Der, 22, in a swampy area at Kampung Pengkalan Nyireh, Kampung Raja, Besut, between 4.40pm and 8.30pm on June 21, 2017, under Section 302 of the Penal Code read with Section 34. In delivering the judgment, Justice Azman said the appeals had no merit as the prosecution’s witnesses, including a protected witness, had consistently testified that all the appellants were involved in stabbing the victim. He said the protected witness, who was an eyewitness hiding in nearby bushes during the incident, had given a detailed account of what transpired. “The witness’s refusal to answer certain questions that could reveal his identity did not affect the prosecution’s case. The trial judge was also satisfied that the testimony was supported by other prosecution witnesses,” he said. Justice Azman added that the trial judge had also properly evaluated the defence’s case and found the claim that another individual committed the stabbing to be an afterthought. He said the High Court judge was correct in concluding that the appellants had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of their defence case, and therefore there was no reason for appellate intervention. Three of the men — Aizz Amidie, Mohd Rizalman and Zahaman Fairol — were ordered to serve their sentences from the date of their arrest on July 11, 2017, while the remaining two will have their sentences backdated to August 11 the same year. Earlier, defence counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik sought a reduction of the sentence to 30 years from the date of arrest, but Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Zain Ibrahim argued for the sentence to be maintained to serve as a deterrent. Reports previously stated that the victim was killed following a dispute linked to the burning of a motorcycle belonging to a relative of one of the accused.  The three-year-old girl injured in yesterday’s crash at Kampung Baru Pinang Tunggal here is reported to be in stable condition.
The victim, Aulia Sofea Ahmad Shafiq, who sustained serious injuries, received treatment at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH) here before being transferred to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) in Alor Setar today. Kuala Muda district police chief ACP Hanyan Ramlan said she is still undergoing treatment. “The three-year-old girl is still receiving treatment. Although she sustained serious injuries, she is reported to be in stable condition,” he told reporters here today. Meanwhile, Hanyan urged the public not to speculate as it could interfere with the investigation. “Let us conduct our investigation. Do not speculate or offer views that may disrupt the investigation. “Thank you to the vehicle owners who have provided dashboard camera recordings. Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident are urged to come forward to assist in the investigation,” he said. Meanwhile, Aulia Sofea’s aunt, Siti Nur Atiqah Ahmad Shukri, 32, expressed hope that her niece will recover. “She is like my own child and I am willing to take care of her,” she said. In the incident at about 3.50pm yesterday, six family members, including a baby, were killed, while the three-year-old girl was seriously injured. The victims were travelling in a Proton X50 sport utility vehicle (SUV) that collided with a lorry carrying a load of soil while en route from Penang to Merbok to visit a family member’s grave.  Seven individuals, including a woman, were each fined RM2,000 by the Magistrates’ Court in Tumpat today after pleading guilty to a charge of rioting that left a driving instructor injured last month.
Reporters reported that the accused — Azli Mamat, 48; Mohd Azaki Mamat, 42; Mohd Khadri Ghani, 52; Ahmad Faizal Juhari, 35; Muhammad Alif Hakimi Abd Hamid, 22; Muhammad Izzat Romli, 25; and Nor Hasida Mamat, 38 — entered their pleas before Magistrate Wan Ashrul Afham Mohamad Azmi. According to the charge, they were members of an unlawful assembly that used violence in pursuit of a common objective, thereby committing the offence of rioting. The incident allegedly took place at SKMS Driving Academy in Berangan at about 4.30pm on May 24. They were charged under Section 147 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same law, which carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Mahfuzah Hamizah Mohd Ariff prosecuted the case, while lawyer Shamsul Baharin Abdullah represented all seven accused. Mahfuzah Hamizah urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence to serve as a deterrent. In mitigation, Shamsul Baharin sought a lenient sentence, saying his clients were self-employed with no fixed income, had shown remorse and had cooperated throughout the investigation. The court fined each accused RM2,000, with a six-month jail term in default of payment. All seven paid the fines. According to the facts of the case, a driving instructor at the academy was approached by nine individuals who arrived in three vehicles to discuss allegations that he had made derogatory remarks about a female student. The discussion allegedly turned violent after the instructor became fearful and shut his car door upon seeing one of the men — said to be the student's uncle — retrieve an item from his vehicle. Several others then allegedly kicked the instructor from behind, causing him to fall, before assaulting him repeatedly on the face and body. |