adminSHAH ALAM: Digital content creator, Isa Isarb, revealed that he was recently detained by Indonesian authorities and is suspected of being a spy from Malaysia or an individual who received money from certain parties to overthrow a government.
Isa said he and his team initially came to Indonesia with the aim of filming a documentary about the haze.
While en route to the burning forest area, he said, a group of people were seen gathering at the demonstration location, prompting his team to stop briefly to interview several individuals there.
However, according to Isa, the situation turned strange when his team was approached by 10 to 15 Indonesian officers.
“One of them immediately asked me; ‘Are you Isa Batharul?’ even though I am better known by the name Isa Isarb.
“Hearing them say that name, I started to feel like something strange was happening.
“We were then detained for abusing our tourist visas. According to the explanation given, the visa did not allow us to film or be at the demonstration location,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Isa stated that during questioning at the police station, he was asked to open his mobile phone and explain the true purpose of his visit to Indonesia.
Isa explained that his party provided full cooperation throughout the investigation process before spending the night in lockup.
Even more surprising was that the next day, he was accused of being a spy because there was supposedly evidence of conversations between him and several Malaysian politicians.
“The conversation in question was between me and the Deputy Prime Minister’s team; Muar Member of Parliament, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, when all that was just an invitation to be interviewed for the haze documentary we are currently filming.
“An invitation for me to the Malaysian Parliament that same week also complicated the situation during the interrogation.
“In fact, I was invited there just to interview the MP. The location was chosen to fit the interview session into his busy schedule, plus he had just gotten married,” he said.
Isa said that over the next six days, he and his team were in such fear as they were interrogated every day that they sometimes felt as if there was no hope left.
Not only that, Isa revealed that he had been experiencing panic attacks for several nights, plus he missed his children and wife and was worried if he would be sentenced in Indonesia.
“I tried to ease the pain by drawing their faces on the lockup wall using an iron pin from the lockup detention letter given to me.
“Alhamdulillah, thanks to the good relationship between the Indonesian and Malaysian governments, we were finally able to be brought home.
“A million thanks to the Indonesian government for its fair treatment throughout the investigation, as well as the Malaysian government for not letting go of our hand when we needed help,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Isa announced that his party plans to upload the documentary video on the Isa Isarb YouTube channel on November 16, especially after the 16th Melaka State Election (PRN).
“I will try to share this experience in more detail so that it can be a lesson for everyone.
“However, we do not want this story to be used as campaign material or for the interests of any party, especially ahead of the Melaka state election on November 14 and when the haze issue is becoming increasingly heated in Indonesia,” said Isa.
Sinar Harian is seeking a response from the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) regarding this matter. – Sinar Harian
