RETIREE DENIES SUPPORTING ISRAEL AFTER HEBREW STICKER ON VEHICLE WENT VIRAL

MELAKA, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The owner of a four-wheel drive vehicle that went viral for displaying a sticker with Hebrew text has denied supporting Israel, explaining that the sticker merely reflected his interest in the script.

Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the 59-year-old retired civil servant claimed that the Hebrew text, which means “Malaysia is our home” or “Malaysia is in our hands”, had been affixed on the back of his Isuzu 4WD since 2012 and had never caused any issues before.

He said the retiree lodged a report at the Air Kuning Selatan police station in Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan, on Tuesday after a video of the vehicle went viral on social media, drawing negative reactions from netizens due to the sticker’s sensitive connotations.

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“The Hebrew text was alleged to have been adapted from the original phrase ‘Israel is my home’, but the man claimed he had no message for Israel.

“He stated that he is a patriotic person and an enthusiast of foreign scripts such as Russian, Greek and Hebrew. The sticker was ordered from a shop in Selangor in 2012, and the vehicle is also frequently used by his brother,” Dzulkairi told a press conference here today.

He said no directive has been issued for the vehicle owner to remove the sticker, so far.

The case is still being investigated under Section 504(b) of the Penal Code for inciting fear or public alarm and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities or services.

Dzulkhairi said police will also seek assistance from the Israeli embassy in a neighbouring country, as well as language experts, to determine the exact meaning of the phrase.

He also advised the public not to make any speculation or provocation that could disrupt investigations or public order, stressing the importance of using the national language to prevent misunderstanding.

-- BERNAMA