By Wendy John
SIBU, Nov 30: Police has arrested a Pakistani national for allegedly setting a furniture shop in Sibu Jaya on fire, early yesterday.
Sibu district police chief, ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit, said the shop owned by another Pakistani man, 38, suffered 70 per cent burn as a result of the 3.45am fire.
Total loss was estimated at RM70,000, as various types of furniture, 50 mattresses and electrical items were damaged by the fire.
“Two teams of firefighters from Sungai Merah and Sibu Central fire stations arrived at the scene at 4am and found that the shop was already 70 per cent burn,” he said.
A screen grab of a CCTV in the area showed a man wearing a motorcycle helmet rushing out from the shop. Not long after, a fire erupted from the inside of the shop, he added.
Initial investigation by the Fire and Rescue Department showed that arson was believed to be the main cause of the fire.
This prompted the police to immediately conducted further investigation, which led to the arrest of a 43-year-old Pakistani man.
“The suspect also operated his own furniture business in Sibu Jaya for more than 10 years, while the complainant had only started his in April this year,” he said.
It was believed that the complainant, which used to buy furniture from the suspect, had stopped doing so recently. This enraged the suspect and he used to disturb and threatened to burn the complainant’s shop after that, continued the Sibu OCPD.
“We have detained the suspect. He will be remanded under Section 435 of the Penal Code for arson,” he said.
