Police detain seven suspects, including a Thai woman, following a brazen shooting targeting a senior border security commander’s vehicle in Kedah.
ALOR SETAR: Seven individuals have been arrested in connection with a shooting incident targeting the vehicle of a senior border security commander in Bukit Kayu Hitam.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the suspects, aged between 22 and 52, were detained in a series of raids on the day of the incident. The arrests took place in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, and Padang Besar, Perlis, between 10.30 am and 6 pm.
The group comprises six men and one Thai woman, who is the wife of one suspect. “Investigations revealed that the six men and one woman, the wife of one of the suspects, lived near the scene, knew one another, and that four of them have prior criminal records involving serious offences,” Adzli said.
Two male suspects were found with gunshot residue on their hands and cheeks. Police confirmed none of the suspects possessed licences for firearms.
Forensic tests also detected gunshot residue on the key and helmet of a motorcycle believed used in the attack. The firearm itself has not been recovered.
The married couple, residents of Bukit Kayu Hitam, were apprehended near the Padang Besar border checkpoint at 12.30 pm. They are suspected of attempting to flee to a neighbouring country.
All suspects have been remanded for between two and four days to assist investigations. The woman has been remanded for 14 days under the Immigration Act to verify her identification documents.
The case is being investigated under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, and the Immigration Act.
Adzli stated the shooting could have been an attempt on the life of the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) commander. He suggested it was motivated by dissatisfaction with enforcement actions that disrupted smuggling operations.
“Several major smuggling attempts had been foiled, including 100 tonnes of rice, pig carcasses, and over 100 migrants, resulting in losses exceeding RM1 million,” he said. “This is believed to have motivated attempts to intimidate and obstruct enforcement.”
He vowed that authorities would not be cowed by the attack. “We will not retreat and are not intimidated by such threats. Stronger measures will be implemented, including equipping border personnel with bulletproof vests and additional firearms,” Adzli added.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at about 5.40 am. The commander’s Proton X70 was fired upon at a slip road near Masjid Al-Muhajirin, roughly one kilometre from the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Two suspects on a motorcycle reportedly fired two rounds from what is believed to be a semi-automatic weapon at the vehicle.