KUALA LUMPUR – The Immigration Department has no records of seasoned rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus entering or leaving the country as authorities continue to investigate the duo’s ascent of the Merdeka 118.
“So far, the duo is suspected of not being in the country. Checks have found that there were no immigration records of them entering or leaving the country,” a source told Utusan Malaysia.
The source also said that an investigation is being conducted on whether the duo entered Malaysia illegally.
“Nine individuals, including staffers and workers at the tower, are being questioned after the incident went viral,” said the source, adding that CCTV footage at the tower did not capture the duo’s trespass.
Authorities are also waiting for an analysis of the duo’s video clip, which was sent to CyberSecurity Malaysia to ascertain if it is genuine or produced in some other way.
Previously, Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Delhan Yahaya said police have obtained travel records and the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission’s analysis of the duo’s social media accounts.
A photo of the daredevil couple was uploaded on the online forum SkyscraperCity.com on December 27, before the duo confirmed their stunt two days later through Instagram posts featuring them standing on the peak of the tower’s spire.
Two days ago Nikolau told The Vibes that the climb was “the hardest elevation so far and also one of the hardest things” she has done.
She added that it took them extremely long hours of research and three weeks of surveilling Merdeka 118 to “create a general understanding of things” and determine how they would be able to work things out.
Nikolau also had nothing but good words to offer to Merdeka 118’s security team, saying their tight surveillance was to be partially blamed for their longer-than-expected climb.
Later, she apologised for causing any offence that arose from the climb.
Merdeka 118, which is still a live construction site due for full completion in the middle of this year, is owned by Permodalan Nasional Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd.
Only the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 830m, stands taller than the RM5 billion tower located adjacent to Merdeka Stadium. – The Vibes, January 7, 2023
