Malaysia on edge as police hunt armed robbery suspect amid surge in shootings
A series of audacious shootings has rocked Malaysia. The latest saw a robbery suspect fire a gun outside a Johor store on Saturday
As Malaysian police on Monday pursued a gunman accused of firing a weapon on a street in southern Johor state at the weekend, the country’s sense of safety was rattled by a wave of gun violence that has left five dead in recent weeks.
The series of recent shootings has come as a shock to many in Malaysia, where unlicensed possession of firearms carries extensive jail terms and mandatory flogging. In a number of cases, attackers have brazenly fired upon their targets in full public view.
The latest incident unfolded on Saturday evening in Seri Alam township, less than an hour’s drive from the Singapore border.
“The suspect entered the premises and pointed an object that resembled a pistol at a victim while demanding that they hand over cash,” Seri Alam police chief Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said in a statement.
“The suspect fired one shot outside the premises before escaping on a motorcycle.” No injuries were reported.
Police are investigating the case as an unlawful discharge of a firearm, an offence punishable by up to 40 years’ imprisonment and a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
It follows a string of violent attacks that have shaken communities across Malaysia.
Last week, police arrested a 65-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting at a restaurant in Taman Setia Indah, near Johor Bahru, in January. The victim, a 40-year-old man, was gunned down while dining with friends.
Authorities are also investigating possible connections between a dramatic gunfight at a petrol station and the discovery of a bullet-riddled body at a public hospital on July 3. CCTV footage showed two people abandoning the body before fleeing in a dark-coloured car, about an hour after a gang of machete-wielding men had attacked another group sitting in a similar vehicle.
The assault was interrupted when one occupant produced a gun and opened fire, sending three attackers fleeing in a silver car and another escaping on foot.
Police have since arrested three men believed to have been in the targeted car, seizing a pistol, as well as some ammunition and spent bullet casings.
The violence has not been confined to Johor. On June 24, police in Perak state discovered the body of a 57-year-old man at his home, bearing gunshot and knife wounds. Investigators suspect the killing was orchestrated by an international organised crime syndicate.
The Perak case came on the heels of four killings over a 12-day period in June, which police believe were linked to turf wars and revenge attacks linked to the drug trade.
