BUKIT KAYU HITAM MCBA COMMANDER SURVIVES SHOOTING NEAR THAI BORDER

BUKIT KAYU HITAM, 25 Feb (Bernama) -- The vehicle carrying the commander of the Malaysian Control and Border Protection Agency (MCBA) in Bukit Kayu Hitam, SAC Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir, was shot at in an incident at dawn near the Malaysian-Thai border today.

Kedah Police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the commander escaped unharmed in the attack, which occurred at about 5.40 am, roughly one kilometre from the frontier.

He said the commander was on his way to perform Subuh prayers at Masjid Al Muhajirin when two men dressed in black on a motorcycle, both wearing full-face helmets, approached his car.

“One of the suspects fired two shots, hitting the rear right door and the front passenger door of the car. Fortunately, the victim was not injured,” he told a press conference today.

Adzli said that immediately after the shooting, the victim, who was driving alone, attempted to pursue the suspects for about one kilometre before they fled into a nearby industrial area.

“He then drove his privately owned Proton X70 to the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex police station here to lodge a report,” he said.

Adzli said police are investigating from all angles and have not ruled out the possibility that criminal syndicates operating along the border may have acted out of retaliation after the Bukit Kayu Hitam MCBA recorded numerous successful seizures this year, including 100 tonnes of rice and pork.

Police have also detained many smugglers and migrants based in the area, he said, adding that the victim was responsible for assignments at the ICQS Complex.

The case is being investigated under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 for discharging a firearm with intent to cause death or injury, despite no injuries being reported, he added.

-- BERNAMA