KUANTAN: Police arrested two men and seized stolen copper cables and equipment believed to be taken from the East Coast Rail Link project during a raid in Temerloh.
Temerloh police chief ACP Mazlan Hassan confirmed the suspects were detained at approximately 6.30 pm on September 10 by the Criminal Investigation Division team.
The first suspect is an unemployed individual from Mentakab with four prior drug-related records while the second is a self-employed man from Bentong with five previous criminal records.
Both individuals tested negative for drugs during initial screening following their arrest.
Authorities confiscated five sacks of cut copper cable, one full roll of copper cable, a cable cutter, bags, a headlamp, gloves and various electrical tools including a grinder and batteries.
China Communications Construction had reported the theft of 1,080 metres of cable along the Temerloh and Lanchang section plus an additional 599 metres in the Lanchang to Bentong stretch within two weeks.
The company condemned the theft of connecting cables on the ECRL alignment from Temerloh to Bentong which caused serious damage to rail infrastructure.
This incident potentially threatens the completion schedule of the national project according to the company’s statement. – Bernama