Three teenage boys, including a juvenile, who were arrested following a viral video of them giving chicken bones to a homeless person, were released on police bail yesterday (August 6).
Seremban District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Hatta Che Din, said the teenagers, who hail from Johor, were brought to the Seremban Magistrate’s Court for a remand process to assist with the investigation.
“All of them are being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,”
Mohamad Hatta stated that all the teenage boys, aged 14, 18, and 19, were from Johor Bharu, but it was understood that the act was committed in this district. On Tuesday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) also recorded statements from three individuals believed to be social media influencers regarding the spread of a video showing them giving leftover chicken bones to a homeless person.
The MCMC statement informed that recording of statements and further investigation into the matter were carried out at the Iskandar Puteri District Headquarters (IPD), Johor, in addition to seizing three mobile phones and three SIM cards to assist in the investigation.
MCMC said the content of the video was believed to be extremely offensive. It sparked widespread anger and condemnation among netizens, as well as touched on the sensitivities of the country’s diverse community.
The statement informed that the investigation is being conducted under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine of RM500,000, or both, if convicted, reported Harian Metro.
In case you missed it, the three teenagers recently visited a fast food restaurant, bought chicken, and ate it there, as seen in their viral video. In the name of charity work, they collected the leftover chicken bones and placed them in a pack of rice, before handing it to a homeless man, supposedly to avoid waste and to “give” to those in need.
They also filmed themselves giving the leftover chicken meat to a pet dog.
