GEORGE TOWN: The number of police reports made by homeowners against the Batu Ferringhi post office for alleged fraudulent activities has jumped from 19 to at least 102.

Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, who helped affected homeowners highlight the problem earlier, said 102 homeowners, like the previous 19, also claimed bill payments made at the post office remained unsettled.

“I have compiled the names and surrendered them to the district office.

“The district office is working with Pos Malaysia with their own investigations. It will also try to get Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA), Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) and the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to hold their warning notices against the residents and not cut off their utility supplies pending investigations on humanitarian grounds,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters at the 30th Outreach Free Medical Camp at SJK (C) Pai Chai in Batu Ferringhi here.

It was earlier reported that some 50 people had stormed the Batu Ferringhi post office to seek an explanation on why utility bill payments they had made there remained unsettled.

The group, which included several foreigners living in Penang under the Malaysia My Second Home programme, were informed by three employees manning the counters that the postmaster was outstation.

Police reports were lodged after they received letters from utility companies which, among others, threatened to cut off their water and electricity supply to their homes although they had made payments at the post office which was outsourced to an approved third party operator by Pos Malaysia.

There were also cases when some of them were summoned to court for allegedly failing to settle their payments.

Three female clerks were later remanded for investigation under Section 408 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust.

Pos Malaysia had since taken full control of the operations at the outlet with two of its own staff members.

Acting Commercial Crimes Department chief Superintendent Shaharon Anuar Abdul Latif said investigation was still ongoing.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/24/nation/20101024164844&sec=nation

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