Police determining authenticity of daredevil duo’s Merdeka 118 video

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are conducting further investigation to verify the authenticity of a viral video showing two foreigners trespassing into the Merdeka 118 building.

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Yahaya Othman said they would be seeking assistance from the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

“We are working with the MCMC to verify the authenticity of the video.

“We are also in the midst of getting the immigration records of the foreigners,” he told reporters during a New Year’s Eve operation on Jalan Loke Yew here on Sunday (Jan 1).

He said the police had received one police report on the matter.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that the video was digitally modified.

“The Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) management informed us that the tight security at the tower would have prevented anyone from entering, let alone climb it.

“However, we will wait for the outcome of the investigation after consulting the MCMC and Immigration Department,” he said.

On Wednesday (Dec 28), it was reported that duo had scaled up Merdeka 118, the second tallest building in the world, prompting questions of security by netizens.

Photos of the climb by Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau were uploaded on the Internet and reshared on Reddit.

On Thursday (Dec 29), Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Noor Dellhan Yahaya confirmed that a report had been received on the matter.