Singapore influencer fined over false abduction claim

A Malaysian court has fined a Singaporean influencer for falsely claiming that she was nearly kidnapped at a mall near the border with Singapore.

A post by beauty influencer Amyra Laila Ho went viral after she claimed that a couple tried to abduct her after forcing her to sniff tea leaves that left her feeling dizzy and numb.

However, police said their investigations disproved her claim, which went viral and sparked discussions about security in Johor Bahru.

Johor Bahru lies at one end of a causeway linking the southern tip of Malaysia to Singapore. It's one of the world's busiest border crossings, with about 300,000 commuters passing through daily.

Ho pleaded guilty to providing false information to a police officer and was fined 1,000 ringgit ($228; £183), which she immediately paid, Singaporean and Malaysian media said.

Ho's post where she detailed the alleged abduction attempt also appears to have been taken down from her Instagram account, which is under the name Venus Ho.

She had claimed that the abduction attempt happened after she refused to buy tea leaves from the couple.

She added that they then tried to abduct her. The man held her arm and pretended to be her husband while the woman took her bag containing 400 ringgit.

She said her alleged attackers fled and pushed her to the floor when passersby started noticing what was happening.

"Based on CCTV recordings and technical evidence, no movement involving the victim was detected at the location," M Kumar, police chief for Johor state, which includes the city of Johor Bahru, told reporters.

Malaysian police said that after Ho posted about the alleged abduction attempt, "social media influencers also commented on the issue, framing it as a threat to the safety of tourists visiting Johor".

Police added that strict action would be taken against "anyone who deliberately spreads rumours or manipulates facts to cause public anxiety, particularly concerning safety issues".

Singapore and Malaysia recently designated Johor Bahru as a special economic zone, where they hope to attract more investments.