MALAYSIA has recorded yet another fatal shooting, heightening public concern despite recent police assurances that the country remains safe.
In one of latest incidents, a violent robbery attempt at a petrol station in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, turned deadly on July 3.
Four masked men wielding machetes ambushed a car around 12.10am, smashing its windows in a brazen attack captured on viral CCTV footage. One of the car’s passengers opened fire, forcing the suspects to flee.
Johor police chief M. Kumar later confirmed that a man’s body was discovered at Sultanah Aminah Hospital about an hour after the attempted robbery, believed to be linked to the incident.
Yesterday night, a suspected gang member was shot dead in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Acting Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Fadil Marsus said the 34-year-old suspect, with over 30 prior records involving drugs, armed robbery, and gangsterism, was killed in a gunfight during a special operation.
“A firearm and several other case items were also found. We believe this group has been actively robbing gold shops since 2022, with recorded losses amounting to nearly RM6 mil,” Fadil said, adding that further arrests are expected.
These incidents follow two fatal shootings in Kuala Lumpur last month, prompting city police chief Rusdi Isa to insist on June 17 that “these shooting cases are all the result of problems that occurred outside the Kuala Lumpur contingent, and were brought here.”
Police said the recent Cheras and Brickfields shootings were unrelated, with the Cheras case linked to criminal business from Sarawak and the Brickfields case tied to a gang feud in Selangor. Both incidents stemmed from internal disputes between suspects and victims. —July 6, 2025
Main image: Xavier & Koh Partnership
