Singaporean who claimed she was almost abducted in JB fined $300 for lying

A Singaporean woman was fined RM1,000 ($308) by the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court this morning (Jan 28) after she pleaded guilty to making a false police report.

Amyra Laila Ho, who also goes by the name Venus, had previously claimed that she was almost abducted by a couple near KSL City Mall.

In a now-deleted Instagram video, the 45-year-old detailed her experience and said that she had reported the matter to the authorities.

However, JB police refuted her claims, stating that they had not received any report as of Jan 21.

In a statement on Monday, Johor police chief M Kumar said that they then received such a report on Jan 22.

The alleged incident was said to have occurred on Jan 10 at around 1pm.

"The police investigation found that the attempted abduction did not occur as, based on CCTV footage and technical evidence, there was no movement detected at the scene," Kumar said.

The police chief also pointed out that the allegation had gone viral on several social media platforms, prompting some to question the safety of tourists in Johor.

He assured that the safety and public order in Johor are under control, and that strict action will be taken against anyone who deliberately spreads rumours or manipulates facts with the aim of causing public unrest.

He reminded the public to verify any information found on social media before believing it and to remain vigilant against and informed about crimes in their localities.

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According to Bernama, Ho would have been jailed three weeks had she not paid the fine.

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com