Tourist Couple Finds Hidden Camera In Power Socket Of Sabah Rental Home
After reporting the incident to the police, the tourists wondered about the safety of travelling in Malaysia.
By May Vin Ang — 25 Sep 2023, 12:19 PM
A couple visiting from China were recently horrified to find a camera hidden in the bedroom of their rental home in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Taking to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform, user ZhenMeiBeauty said she and her partner found the small, modified camera concealed in a power socket facing their bed, aware of its sensitive position, and wondered about the safety of travelling in Malaysia.
Recounting the incident that occurred on 6 September, the tourist said she had asked her husband to check the bedroom as a regular routine, and was surprised when their quick inspection of the room actually unveiled a hidden lens.
"Fortunately, we didn't think it was a bother to look around, because we found a camera in the socket opposite the bed!" she exclaimed in her post.
"When my husband shone a flashlight from his phone on the socket, he spotted a reflection, so we took apart the panel and were shocked. As you can see in the photos, we found a small camera in between the two USB ports," she wrote, attaching photos as evidence of the small device.
According to ZhenMeiBeauty, they checked out of the room at dawn and found another place to stay for the duration of their trip
As it was late, the couple said they had to spend the night in the room. However, they felt too uneasy to sleep or shower, even after they covered the camera with some tissue paper.
The tourists added it was also funny that the owner of the homestay did not reply to their messages when they immediately reported their discovery of the hidden camera to them.
The tourists have reported the incident to the police, as well as informed the booking platform and received a refund for the stay
According to Berita Harian, Kota Kinabalu police chief Zaidi Abdullah said the case is being investigated under Section 509 of the Penal Code after they received the report on 7 September.
The statement said the police have carried out preliminary investigations at the site of the incident, confiscated several items, and are now working on identifying a suspect.
Meanwhile, Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister (MOTAC) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has urged all homestay operators to pay attention to their staff's activities and to conduct background checks
"It is undeniable that such incidents may be caused by the personal actions of irresponsible homestay or Airbnb staff members," he said, as quoted by New Straits Times.
He added that his ministry will seek to enhance security and accountability measures to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
Tiong also strongly condemned the despicable act of hiding cameras, stating that it not only violates the law but also affects the image of the country's tourism industry.
