A tourist attraction, located in the streets of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The randomly popular Maybank photography spot became the subject of police investigation after a woman posted a naked video of herself on the Chinese social media platform, Xiaohongshu.
The video in question was a 10-second clip showing a woman lifting up her clothes and posing in front of the signboard. The video was originally posted on the chinese social media platform but was later leaked to Whatsapp.
Neighbourhood street that gained popularity
This random street in Kota Kinabalu first made the headlines after a Chinese influencer reportedly took photos of the location and posted them on the China's social media app Xiaohongshu.
The images quickly went viral, turning the street into a popular destination for tourists and brands who are visiting the bank to recreate the picture. Many have praised the place for its stunning aesthetics; the impressive lighting from the bank combined with the signature yellow Maybank Logo that is said to create a sleek, city-like vibe that appeals to urban explorers.
Online, many netizens complimented that KK Maybank location's vibrant and photogenic qualities, noting that the spot exudes a city walk vibe, which was further amplified by Xiaohongshu. Meanwhile, there are also netizens who expressed confusion over why the tourist spot gained such popularity, reflecting the unpredictable nature of viral trends.
Kota Kinabalu's own Member of Parliament Chan Foong Hin also visited the place to speak to some of the tourists and take a few photos with them. On his Facebook post, he shared his thoughts...
"Although I couldn't understand the trend, seeing that our home place is becoming so popular among tourists, this reflects that Kota Kinabalu has rich tourism resources. Welcome everyone to KK!"
Malaysian State police open investigation
The Police Chief assistant commissioner of Kota Kinabalu said that the state authorities have already opened an investigation to look into the matter and apprehend the culprit committing the indecent act.
The case will fall under the Sector 509 Act of the Penal Code, which looks into public indecent acts; one could face a prison sentence of up to five years, a fine, or both, if convicted.
Internet users have speculated that the person posing in the video was most likely a tourist due to the website's watermark.
Kasim said that the authorities would be tracing the source of the video; if the culprit is found to be a foreigner, she could either be barred from leaving or entering the country again.