Telekom Malaysia (TM) has acknowledged a cable theft incident in Tanjung Bungah, Penang involving their contractors and employees. As reported by The Star, a total of 242 rods of telecommunication cables were illegally cut and stolen from the ground were recovered after 8 men allegedly working with TM were arrested.
In the report by The Star, George Town OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rozak Muhammad said that the stolen cables are valued at about RM100,000 and this is the largest cable theft recorded in Penang so far. Two lorries, a pick up and a van with TM logos were also seized.
In a statement, TM said it will cooperate fully with the authorities to facilitate their investigation. However, they are unable to comment further as the matter is still ongoing.
TM emphasised that it holds zero tolerance for any misconduct and will not hesitate to take firm and appropriate actions based on the investigation findings in line with their commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability throughout its organisation.
The broadband giant iterated that cable theft is a serious offense that endangers lives, disrupts essential services that Malaysians rely on daily and impacts the community. It urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities by calling 999 or visiting the nearest police station.
It added that it remains committed to ensure security and reliability of the nation’s digital infrastructure, and will continue to collaborate closely with the authorities to prevent such incidents in the future. They also thanked the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) for their commitment and swift action with respect to the cable theft incidents.
Cable theft is a serious issue faced by TM as it can take down communications infrastructure in a large area. Besides theft, TM had previously faced cable cuts due to business rivalry over contracts. The cable damage caused loses of RM500,000 had affected several government buildings including courthouse and banks in Melaka.
