Suspected arsonist remanded by Sibu police
It was reported today in theborneopost that Sibu police have detained a 19-year-old youth on suspicion of having hurled a Molotov cocktail at a house in Rejang Park.
This is not a uncommon incident in Sibu. For reasons known or unknown, Molotov cocktails have been used in the past in Sibu as a form of revenge or as a form of intimidation. The perpetrator usually comes in the middle of the night and in the worst case scenario hopes to burn the victim’s house, cars and perhaps take a life or two.
I was once at the scene of such an attack myself. The police arrived soon after the media arrived. Pics were taken and the innocent victim went to the police station to make a report. No one knows what happened after that. Could it be this guy or are there many others like this guy?
Often the victims feel traumatized. Sometimes, they do not even know why they have been singled out. I think for perhaps a small percentage, it is just pure arson and not motivated by greed or financial gain or revenge.
Yours truly hopes that with the arrest of this guy, more can be known about the profile of an arsonist i.e. if he is an arsonist. Few Sibu people leave their cars out in the open at night and most people leave it indoors. One reason is fear of theft. The other is perhaps to a much smaller extent fear of being the target of an arsonist.
