In a statement, corporate communications head A Skandaguru said investigations were ongoing and the suspect had already been identified.

“The investigation paper has been referred to the deputy public prosecutor (DPP), and we have received instructions to record further statements to complete the investigation paper,” he said.

Skandaguru said that the next statement would be recorded on Wednesday, and the investigation paper would then be referred back to the DPP for further instructions.

He urged the public not to speculate as investigations were ongoing.

“We request the cooperation of all parties to not speculate on the investigation process and to give room for the prosecution to take place.”

Meanwhile, lawyer-activist Rajesh Nagarajan said he was glad that the police had initiated an investigation.

“We still demand that the suspect should be charged sooner rather than later as every day the suspect is a free man may result in the deaths of even more innocent baby monkeys,” he said when contacted.

The police’s statement comes after animal rights group Hak Asasi Hidupan Liar Malaysia (Hidup) said police had not acted on a report they filed on Jan 20.

Hidup filed the report on the alleged torture of baby long-tailed macaques after receiving a tip-off from animal welfare groups, Lady Freethinker from the US and Action for Primates from the UK.

A Telegram group named “Monkey Haters” was allegedly recording the torture of the primates and selling them.

Calling the videos “torture porn”, Rajesh said the footage showed the monkeys being mutilated, dismembered, hit with blunt objects, burned, boiled and skinned alive.

He also said the perpetrator charged a fee if anyone in the Telegram group wanted to watch the full videos.