Sinar Harian reported that the man was arrested by a team from the Kedah police headquarters.

Baling police chief Azmi Mokhtar refused to comment on the arrest. However, Kedah police chief Fisol Salleh is expected to hold a press conference on the matter next Wednesday.

It was previously reported that the area had experienced 10 separate fires since Dec 24.

On Dec 26, Kupang assemblyman Najmi Ahmad said in a post on Facebook that four houses had been razed within three nights, with the first fire starting from motorcycles that had caught fire.

Harian Metro also reported residents as claiming to have seen men in masks attempting to start fires, with one saying his son’s motorcycle was found doused in kerosene on Jan 5.

Amir Hamzah, 46, from Kampung Tiak in Kupang, said his son, Izzat Amir, heard a bottle break outside the house about 11pm and saw men running out of the compound.

“My son panicked and called his brother and neighbours to chase them down, but they were unsuccessful,” he said, adding that Izzat later came back to find his motorcycle covered in kerosene.