Mystery surrounding ‘missing' influencer a ruse, say authorities

The Star

a day ago

MUAR: The mystery surrounding a 38-year-old motoring influencer known as Ija Nizaruddin, who was reported as missing, has been finally answered after police revealed that his younger brother had fabricated his disappearance.
According to sources, while the authorities launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate his whereabouts, the influencer was said to have entered Thailand through a land border.
However, he has since returned to Malaysia.
Muar OCPD Asst Comm Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said the influencer, whose full name is Tengku Nizaruddin Tengku Zainudin, was reported missing by his 30-year-old brother on July 15.
'The man claimed that his elder brother had disappeared after informing him that he was heading to Muar to repair his vehicle.
'Upon receiving the report, a missing persons investigation paper was opened and a search-and-rescue operation was launched,' he said in a statement yesterday.
However, police later found inconsistencies in the information provided by the younger brother and believed the disappearance was staged, he said.
'Investigations revealed that the victim is believed to have submerged his wife's car in Sungai Tui, Lenga before fleeing to a neighbouring country.
'His younger brother later admitted to conspiring with him and pretending to carry out a search effort to mislead the police,' added ACP Raiz Mukhliz.
He said police later recorded the statements of both men.
Investigations will be carried under Section 182 of the Penal Code for giving false information to a public servant and Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetment.
If convicted, the brothers could face up to six months' imprisonment, a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both.
ACP Raiz Mukhliz reminded the public that lodging false police reports is a serious offence that wastes government resources and could jeopardise real emergency cases.
'Stern action will be taken against any individual found to have misused the police reporting system for personal or criminal purposes,' he said.
It was previously reported that the influencer was feared to have drowned.
Throughout the four days of laborious and extensive search-and-rescue operations, more than 70 policemen were deployed to look for the influencer via land, sea and air.