Late at night, you’d think a petrol station stop in Johor is as safe as it gets. But sometimes, that calm turns into chaos—suddenly. CCTV footage from July 3 shows a silver sedan pulling up at a Shell station near Iskandar Puteri’s Second Link toll. Four masked men jumped out, attacked a black Honda, smashed the rearview mirror, and at least four gunshots rang out. They quickly fled, leaving behind stunned customers and shaken staff.
Even if no one was hurt, the visuals are chilling: men wielding firearms in public, firing shots in broad daylight—or late evening. One expert described it as a “fireworks burst we never asked for.”
This isn’t isolated. On January 9, 2025, a fully masked gunman fired four shots at a car salesman in Johor Bahru’s Taman Setia Indah, killing him on the spot. Police later confirmed it was a one-off, but it wasn’t. Another daylight ambush, another victim.
And just last February, a gunman opened fire inside Setia City Mall in Shah Alam—pinning down a layout worker, shattering glass, and causing mass panic. He escaped, sparked a manhunt, and left us questioning our safety.
Malaysia’s gun laws are strict. Firearms are heavily regulated under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. But when you see this happening—public shootings with no news of major arrests—it makes you wonder where things are slipping. Are guns being smuggled across borders? Are illegal guns floating in the suburbs and on hill roads?
Police say the JB petrol station shooting was an isolated case. But their words are thin comfort when informal check-ins at petrol kiosks and roadside joints are no longer safe by default.
It’s time to ask: Are car park cameras really enough? Should petrol stations adopt 24-hour guards or security patrols? And should casual late-night stops now come with a side of worry?
Next time you fill up at night, don’t just top up on fuel—top up on awareness too. Keep your doors locked, spot exits, and watch your surroundings. Because in Johor, the safe, calm night can change in a heartbeat.
Ian Low (junianlow6@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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