SHAH ALAM: Police have arrested 13 individuals under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), in connection with their involvement in communication cable theft, believed to be with intent to sabotage major communication systems in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan stated that all suspects, arrested through Op Lusuh Mulia, committed these crimes along critical routes supporting government data infrastructure and the security sector.

“Disruptions to these facilities have the significant potential to affect the maintenance of telecommunication services and related communication infrastructure, thereby threatening public order.

“Therefore, all suspects will be further detained for a period not exceeding 28 days under the provisions of Section 4(5) of SOSMA to assist the ongoing investigation,“ he said in a statement today.

He added that the police are committed to combating crimes that can threaten national security and public well-being, while also calling for public cooperation to help curb criminal activities.

The case is being investigated under Section 124 of the Penal Code.

Previously, Hussein was reported to have said that five police personnel, including two Sergeants and three Corporals, were mastermminds behind cable theft activities around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor for the past year.

He stated that the police personnel, who were stationed at District Police Headquarters (IPD) and police stations around the two states, were among 16 suspects, including a woman, aged between 23 and 53, arrested for involvement in the syndicate known as “Sindiket Mulia” (Mulia Syndicate), named after its leader.