PETALING JAYA, Selangor – H&M Malaysia has made a police report after Twitter users expressed concerns that footage from concealed cameras in fitting rooms at a Kuala Lumpur store was being sold online.
“The safety of our customers is of the utmost importance to us. A police report has been made and investigations are currently ongoing,” the company said in a statement to LifestyleTech.
“We have conducted an inspection of all fitting rooms and are working to ensure that there are no security breaches that will compromise the privacy of our customers.”
H&M is a Sweden-based multinational clothing company that specialises in fast-fashion apparel for men, women, teenagers and children.
It is alleged that the videos circulating in Malaysia are being sold online, with sellers claiming to have recordings of couples and individuals in the fitting rooms.
The issue was first highlighted by user @meleisgw on Twitter on Jan 8, but she has since deleted her post.
She later posted an update in which an alleged victim said she had recognised herself in one of the videos. The victim also said that the recording may have been taken in October 2022.
In another post, a user said she spotted her friend in one of the videos. According to @meleisgw, she received a direct message saying that a police report has been filed on the matter.
News of the alleged hidden cameras has sparked concern about safety and privacy.
Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said the security manager of the outlet in Jalan Imbi in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, made a report on Monday afternoon after seeing a message about the video being circulated on WhatsApp.
“An 11-second video from the hidden camera was uploaded to Twitter,” Assistant Commissioner Noor Dellhan said on Wednesday. “We sent our personnel there to investigate and could not find the camera. We believe it happened at another location.”
He added: “But I want to assure the public that we are taking this matter seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.”
AC Noor Dellhan said the case has been classified under Section 509 of the Penal Code for intentionally insulting the modesty of any woman by word, through sound, gesture or object.
Meanwhile, on H&M Malaysia’s Facebook page, some users left comments asking for an explanation from the company.
“Are there cameras in the fitting room? How long and how many customers have been recorded?” one person named Omar Ali posted.
Another user who goes by the handle Sue Hae Dae said allegations about hidden cameras in the store are worrying. “It’s stressful when I think back because I always shop there after work,” she said.
On The Star newspaper’s Facebook page, some users suggested that shoppers may want to start carrying devices that can detect hidden cameras. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
