POLICE are questioning the authenticity of videos showing a daredevil Russian couple scaling the world’s second tallest building, the Merdeka 118, on Wednesday (Dec 28, 2022) saying they are not ruling out that the viral clip had been edited.
The Star quoted Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Yahaya Othman as saying that the management of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), the owner of the tower, informed the police that it would have been impossible for anyone to enter the premises or climb the structure due to very tight security.
“We are not ruling out the possibility that the videos were digitally modified,” he was reported to have said during a New Year’s Eve operation here.
Yahaya stated that police will consult the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to verify the authenticity of the video clip, as well as obtain the foreigners’ immigration records.
To date, one police report has been filed in connection with the alleged trespassing incident.
“We are working with the MCMC to verify the authenticity of the video. We are also in the midst of getting the immigration records of the foreigners,” said Yahaya.
On the other hand, the couple said they did climb the building and refuted claims by some Malaysians that the video showing them on top of the building was a fake.
Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau took to social media to share videos of themselves atop the structure that will become the world’s second tallest structure.
The developer of the skyscraper stated that the structure was private property and that “any trespassers will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
After a photo of them on top of the high-rise building was posted on SkyscraperCity.com, word of their incredible climb began to spread on social media. Two days later, the couple confirmed their stunt with separate Instagram posts.
They also uploaded drone footage of their stunt, showing them standing on the spire of the tower and saying it was “the most beautiful building I have ever been”.
Nikolau posted a video of herself sitting on the spire, along with a caption describing the Merdeka 118 as the most beautiful skyscraper she has ever seen. — Jan 1, 2023
