SIBU: Police have arrested a 41-year-old man for brandishing a ‘guandao’ (a weapon similar to a halberd or a glaive) in public on Monday (April 22).
Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili said they received a report at 11.48pm after a 1.38-minute video clip depicting the incident went viral on social media.
The incident is believed to have occurred around 5pm when the man armed with a ‘guandao’ confronted a group of youths in an open space along Jalan Wong King Huo.
“Acting on information, the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arrested the suspect at his residence at 12.20am on Tuesday (April 23).
“The suspect had become agitated after receiving a call from his son, who informed him of a group of teenage boys intending to beat his son.
“He had hurried to the scene from his residence with the weapon in hand.”
Background checks found that he had no prior criminal record and he tested negative for drugs.
ACP Zulkipli added that the suspect is being remanded for four days until April 27 to facilitate investigations under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958.
In light of this, the public are urged to refrain from making any comments on the viral video, as it could potentially fuel tensions within the community.
