by Theleaders | May 19, 2026 4:09 pm
GEORGE TOWN, May 19 — Penang volunteer fire brigades have lodged a police report against a Facebook user over allegations linking the organisations to money laundering and tax evasion activities.
One of the volunteers, Goh Chin Wah, said the allegations made by the individual using the username “Yoong Hai” had tarnished the reputation of volunteer fire brigades in the state.
“This will affect public confidence in the volunteer work that we do and it might make it difficult for us to get donations in future,” he said at a press conference called by state exco H’ng Mooi Lye.
He said the comment made by “Yoong Hai” also linked donations made to volunteer fire brigades to money laundering and tax evasion schemes.
“This does not only affect the reputation of volunteer fire brigades in Penang but around the world,” he said.
Representatives from volunteer fire brigades in Penang lodged a police report yesterday against the comment made by “Yoong Hai”.
Meanwhile, H’ng said there are 38 volunteer fire brigade teams in Penang.
He said the state allocates RM10,000 annually to each team, while the teams have to cover other costs through public donations.
“We cannot control what people want to say online, but the statement linking volunteer fire brigades to money laundering and tax evasion schemes is very serious and damaging,” he said.
He said the allegations could undermine public confidence and affect donation drives carried out by volunteer fire brigades.
He read out the post uploaded by “Yoong Hai”, who accused volunteer fire brigades of being ineffective during emergency situations.
The post also claimed that some of the volunteer fire brigades were established to facilitate illegal money laundering activities and tax evasion through public donations.
H’ng said the allegations surfaced following a recent vehicle fire incident near the Jalan Udini tunnel.
“This will affect the brigades when they approach the public for donations or assistance,” he said.
He said he would also seek the assistance of Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching to refer the matter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
He urged the public to verify information before sharing or believing claims circulated on social media.
Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/penang-volunteer-fire-brigades-lodge-police-report-over-facebook-claims-linking-them-to-money-laundering/
Copyright ©2026 The Leaders Online unless otherwise noted.