THREE teenage social media influencers involved in a viral video allegedly depicting them feeding leftover chicken bones to a homeless man have been released on police bail following their detention earlier this week.
Seremban District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Hatta Che Din, confirmed that the individuals — aged 14, 18, and 19 — were brought from Johor Bahru to be remanded by the Magistrates’ Court in Seremban for further investigation.
"However, after their statements were recorded, they were released on police bail yesterday evening (Wednesday)," he said on Thursday.
The case came to public attention after a video circulated widely online, sparking outrage for its perceived demeaning treatment of a homeless individual. A police report was subsequently lodged in the district, prompting a formal investigation.
The teenagers are currently being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which pertains to offensive content shared online.
Earlier in the week, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recorded statements from all three individuals at the Iskandar Puteri District Police Headquarters in Johor, where three mobile phones and SIM cards were also seized to aid in the investigation.
According to the MCMC, the video is believed to be “grossly offensive” and has triggered widespread public condemnation and criticism online, potentially touching on the sensitivities of Malaysia’s multiracial society.
If convicted under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, the teenagers could face a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM500,000, or both.
In response to the backlash, the teenagers have since issued public apologies. One of them claimed that the video had been misunderstood and was, in fact, intended as a social experiment.
"Today, I would like to explain the incident involving the chicken bones. Because of the video, the public believed we gave him bones to eat. But we did not," he said.
"We had been following the homeless man as part of a planned video. Eventually, we gave him a full meal with rice and two pieces of chicken."
Authorities have yet to announce whether further action will be taken as investigations continue. - August 7, 2025
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