KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — A 48-year-old man believed to be suffering from mental health problems was arrested yesterday after climbing onto the roof of a house in Semenyih while armed with a knife, authorities said.
Kajang District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Naazron Abdul Yusof, said police were alerted to the incident by a member of the public at 8:50pm.
The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department also assisted in efforts to secure the man.
“After nearly four hours of negotiation, the suspect, wearing only shorts, was safely detained at the scene, and the knife was recovered,” Naazron said in a statement.
Preliminary checks indicated that the man was not a local resident of Semenyih and had a history of mental health issues. He was taken to Kajang Hospital for further evaluation.
The police noted that the suspect has 26 prior criminal records, including drug-related offences. Investigators are continuing to examine how he came to be at the location and what prompted the incident.
The case is being investigated under Section 447 of the Penal Code for trespassing and Section 6 of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958.
Authorities have also urged the public to provide any information regarding the incident to Investigating Officer Inspector Mohamad Khairie Ridhwan Azmi at 011-36307974.
A video of the incident, lasting 1 minute and 13 seconds, circulated online, showing fire department personnel attempting to persuade the man to come down safely.
