Desperate times call for desperate measures. This statement might be true in certain situations but it does not give you permission to delve into heinous acts. Last week we reported about a post on Facebook, regarding a Pos Laju rider who broke down on the street after he received the news that he would not get any Hari Raya bonus this year. He even declared that his salary is only RM1,000 and the bonus is crucial to him and his family.
The Facebook post, which has now been deleted, managed to get the attention of the majority of Malaysians as times are hard for everyone right now. Fast forward to this week, and the sad tale of the sobbing Pos Laju rider has actually turned into a fairy tale.
The 22-year old man was arrested by the police after he and his two other partners were soliciting donations for his “fellow postman” illegally through social media since 17 March. Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief Shafee Abd Samad explained, as reported by FMT,
“One of the men arrested claimed he did not have anything to do with the article and denied that he was the individual whose photograph and bank account number had come with the article. But we suspected something was amiss.”
After further investigation, the police discovered that the man came up with the article as well as the pictures himself with his own bank account number attached to it. The Pos Laju rider went on Facebook and created a post to ask for donation using the name Amirul Megat. He has since collected RM5,000 and he admitted that he had already used some of the money.
In this day and age, people tend to take advantage of anything that can benefit them. As responsible netizens, we should at least do our due diligence and research on any post that we see only before sharing as we don’t know the outcome should that post become viral.
Also read: Pos Laju Rider Sobs Under Heavy Rain When Told No Bonus This Year As He Can’t Provide For His Family
