MIRI: A 40-year-old local man has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to damaging telecommunications infrastructure by cutting a cable belonging to Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
The sentence was handed down by the Miri Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (Aug 3) following the man’s conviction under Section 431A of the Penal Code for committing mischief by damaging telecommunications cables.
According to police, the accused was arrested at about 1.30 am on July 27 during a routine patrol along the Miri-Bintulu Bypass, near a Shell petrol station.
Officers found him inside a roadside manhole allegedly cutting telecommunications cable.
Subsequent investigations led to the seizure of a hacksaw, a chain block and a section of TM cable measuring almost one metre, all believed to have been used in the commission of the offence.
Miri District Police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the police viewed acts of vandalism and theft involving telecommunications infrastructure with utmost seriousness, as such offences could disrupt telephone and internet services and affect businesses, public agencies and communities that rely on uninterrupted connectivity.
He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities involving public infrastructure to the Miri District Police Headquarters or the nearest police station.
“The cooperation of the community is vital in helping the police prevent crime and safeguard public safety,” he said.
