Red light video: Idle traffic cop goes viral but police claim it was a pursuit
- UPDATED: Statement explaining that motorcyclists were plainclothes police officers chasing a suspected thief.
A video of motorcyclists running a red light right under the nose of a traffic police officer who appeared to have acted indifferently has been circulating on social media since yesterday.
The incident was believed to have taken place at an intersection near Pasir Hor heading towards Kubang Kerian in Kelantan, captured by the dashboard camera of a car that was waiting for the lights to turn green.
In the 30-second clip, the traffic police officer was seen waiting at the red light while at least...
- UPDATED: Statement explaining that motorcyclists were plainclothes police officers chasing a suspected thief.
A video of motorcyclists running a red light right under the nose of a traffic police officer who appeared to have acted indifferently has been circulating on social media since yesterday.
The incident was believed to have taken place at an intersection near Pasir Hor heading towards Kubang Kerian in Kelantan, captured by the dashboard camera of a car that was waiting for the lights to turn green.
In the 30-second clip, the traffic police officer was seen waiting at the red light while at least four motorcycles zoomed past. The officer seemed nonchalant at the motorcyclists' attitude on breaking traffic laws.
Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) director Azisman Alias told Malaysiakini that the Kelantan traffic police department will be ordered to probe the matter.
The state's Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department chief Zamri Mohd Rawi revealed that the motorcyclists were actually plainclothes police officers chasing a motorcycle theft suspect in the incident on Dec 22.
The traffic officer, known as Che Sidek Omar Mat Hassan, was coincidentally at the intersection after finishing his duty following the visit of the Bukit Aman logistics and technology department director and the deputy secretary-general of the Home Ministry to the state.
"The officer did not take action as he recognised one of the motorcyclists was a police officer.
"This group is from Kota Bharu police station and was chasing after a motorcyclist who fled after being suspected of stealing a motorcycle in the district," said Zamri in a statement to Malaysiakini.
The police managed to arrest the suspect.
Earlier, Zamri told Malaysiakini that it would be risky for the traffic officer to chase after the alleged offenders.
"(Based on the video), the officer couldn't chase after (the offenders). It would endanger him if he too ran the red light and went after the offenders, unless we were ready for an operation," he told Malaysiakini.
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