JB nasi kandar shop suffers RM200,000 losses in pre-opening paint and arson attack

JOHOR BAHRU, June 19 — Police are hunting two masked men wearing helmets who are believed to have splashed fuel and red paint before setting fire to a nasi kandar restaurant in Bandar Dato’ Onn here early this morning, a day before the premises was scheduled to hold its official opening tomorrow.

Johor Bahru South district police chief ACP Raub Selamat said police received a report regarding the incident at 3.59 am from a 30-year-old local man who operates the restaurant and based on the restaurant’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, the two suspects arrived at about 3.34 am before carrying out the act.

“The incident resulted in losses estimated at about RM200,000 and the cause of the incident is still unknown,” he said in a statement today.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 436 of the Penal Code and urged members of the public with information related to the incident to contact the Johor Bahru South District Police Headquarters hotline at 07-2182323.

Meanwhile, Johor Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at 3.43 am and dispatched personnel from the Tebrau Fire and Rescue Station and Kempas Fire and Rescue Station to the scene. 

However, the fire was successfully extinguished before the arrival of the fire and rescue team using eight fire extinguishers, and no injuries were reported.

The restaurant had previously announced its official opening tomorrow and was offering free food to visitors in conjunction with the event. — Bernama