Malaysia’s second fatal shooting in 4 days sparks fears of gang menace

The targeted killing of two men outside a Kuala Lumpur shopping centre on Tuesday was similar to another incident in a restaurant on Friday

A manhunt was under way in Malaysia on Tuesday after masked gunmen shot dead two people outside a Kuala Lumpur shopping centre. The gangland-style shooting, coming just days after a similar incident, has fuelled fears of the organised crime menace in the city.

Gun violence is relatively rare in the country, where possession of unlicensed firearms carries the death penalty. But a recent string of apparently targeted attacks, including a daylight assassination in Johor earlier this year, has reignited concerns over underworld rivalries playing out on the country’s streets.

Masked men ambushed the victims as they were walking to their car outside the Viva Home shopping centre in Cheras area of the capital just after midnight on Tuesday.

The assailants were wearing black ski masks and motorcycle helmets, witnesses said, and ran towards the men, opened fire and then fled in a car.

Both victims, believed to be in their forties, were pronounced dead at the scene, the Kuala Lumpur police said, without naming them.

Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad, deputy commissioner of the Kuala Lumpur police, said the case has been classified as murder. “So far, the police are conducting further investigations to identify the suspects and the motive behind the incident,” he added.

Tuesday’s attack follows a similar shooting on Friday that killed one man and injured two others at a restaurant in Brickfields, a known hotspot for underworld activity in the capital.

In that case, the victims – aged between 30 and 50 – were dining at around 10.50pm when two men on a motorcycle pulled up to the restaurant. CCTV footage showed one of the helmeted men rushing in and opening fire before fleeing with his accomplice.

Five suspects were initially detained but have since been released. Lawyer Sivahnanthan Ragava, who represented the five, said they were in fact dining with the victims and not the assailants.

Despite police assurances that the public had no cause for concern, residents have noted that Friday’s shooting was particularly brazen, having occurred just 400 metres (1,300 feet) from the Travers police station – one of the capital’s main police posts.

In January, the country was shaken by the daylight assassination of debt collector Chen Jin Wen, 40, at a restaurant in Johor Bahru, near the Singapore border, in what police said may have been a gang hit over his alleged cooperation with authorities.

Local media reported that a secret society, known for its involvement in drug distribution and vehicle repossession, was implicated in the case.

Chen’s funeral made headlines after videos of the procession went viral, showing wreaths bearing messages such as “beloved leader” and “legendary hero of his generation”. A large crowd dressed in black also gathered at the mortuary where his body was kept.

Some have alleged that these criminal gangs are operating so openly because of police collusion.

In 2023, Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, director of the police’s criminal investigation department, made headlines with a viral speech warning officers to stop fraternising with syndicates.

“I know what’s going on,” he said, pointing to low-ranking officers who somehow owned luxury cars, including Mercedes-Benzes. “This happens because there is no oversight on the lifestyles of our officers and their subordinates.”