A man who claimed that 14 of his family members had died as a result of Covid-19 to gain public sympathy had been collecting donations amounting to RM91,000 since June.

Kota Tinggi district police chief Hussin Zamora said the 45-year-old man was believed to have spread fake news of the deaths of family members to get donations.

The man was arrested at the Bayu Damai police station in Kota Tinggi, yesterday, and remanded for four days from today.

"He managed to garner public sympathy by spreading...