Task force to investigate tahfiz school fire information leaks: IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will form a task force to investigate individuals involved in leaking information on the deadly fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school in Keramat here.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said police are taking the matter seriously following the spread of the suspects' photographs on the social media.
"I have ordered the city police to form a task force after a police report was lodged on the matter.
"If we find out that the individuals involved are policemen, then we will not only take department level action, but we will also take action based on their criminal offence," he said during a media conference at the Bukit Aman Police headquarters here today.
Mohamad Fuzi said the task force will also look into other individuals or outsiders involved in the information leakage.
He also said investigations are being carried out under Section 203A of the Penal Code for disclosure of information and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
The formation of the task force comes after the facts of the case and photographs of the teenagers believed to be involved in the fire tragedy made its rounds on
social media and the WhatsApp messaging application.
It was reported that the leaked report contained information such as the names and identity details of seven teenagers arrested over the suspected arson at the tahfiz schools as well as findings from the investigation.
Mohamad Fuzi was speaking after attending a ceremony at Bukit Aman to honour the police athletes who competed and won medals at the recent SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the World Police and Fire Games in Los Angeles, California.
The group managed to win 17 medals in the SEA Games, 12 of them gold, as well as 72 medals in the United States: 34 gold, 19 silver and 19 bronze medals in all.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that the leak should not have happened and all quarters should respect the investigation process.
City police Criminal Investigations Department chief SAC Rusdi Mohd Isa said police have recorded statements from 13 policemen over the leaked information relating to the deadly fire.
Rusdi said the probe was launched on Saturday following the spread of the suspects' photographs on the social media.