KLUANG, Sept 6 — Police have managed to obtain a five-day remand order on the school bus driver, popularly known as Abang Bus, for allegedly recording videos of primary schoolgirls to be uploaded on a popular video platform.
The 24-year-old suspect was earlier arrested in Simpang Renggam after police received reports that the uploaded videos and comments were sexual harassment against children.
Kluang police chief Assistant Commissioner Bahrin Mohd Noh said the remand order was issued by Batu Pahat Magistrate Suhaila Safiuddin.
He said the suspect, who is currently in police custody, is represented by a lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK).
“The suspect will assist investigators into the case until the expiry of his remand on September 10,” he said in brief reply to the media when contacted today.
Earlier, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigators from the Kluang district police arrested the suspect in an undisclosed location in Simpang Renggam at 2.57am.
It is understood that the pre-dawn arrest came after a report was lodged against the suspect for recording and uploading videos of the children on the popular video sharing account on TikTok.
Johor police chief M. Kumar was reported saying that the case will be investigated under Section 15 (a)(iii) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017 and Section 15(2) of the Child Act 2001.
He also welcomed the cooperation from parents of the children who were featured in the TikTok videos to assist in investigations.
The two sections relate to offences concerning child pornography and the publishing images of children who are under legal protection.
Yesterday, the issue became heated on social media after the suspect had allegedly proclaimed that one of the schoolgirls in the video was his ideal “crush”.
Many criticised his comments as it bordered on sexual harassment against children.
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri also voiced her opposition against the suspect’s comments and called on police to investigate the matter.
In a statement on her X (formerly Twitter), she said that the Child Development Department (JPKK) under her ministry have been instructed to take action against the culprit behind the TikTok videos.
The bus driver’s TikTok account, mainly featuring videos of the schoolgirls, has more than 600,000 followers. The videos have so far had 10.5 million likes.