Bodyguard upset by questioning

GEORGE TOWN: The 37-year-old bodyguard, who shot dead a Datuk businessman and two others at the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, was apparently upset when his boss asked him why he had taken out his firearm at a restaurant about two hours before the incident.

Datuk Ong Teik Kwong and his business partner of nine years Lim Boon Leng, both 32, were having coffee and drinks with a male friend at a restaurant on Karpal Singh Drive when the bodyguard, who had started work for Ong that day, suddenly took out his Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol and placed it on the table on Thursday.

Sources said Ong and Lim were shocked and glared at the bodyguard, who quickly put the firearm out of sight.

At about 6.30pm as the three were walking to their car, Ong, who was not fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, told Lim to ask the bodyguard why he had taken out the pistol earlier.

The sources added that Lim had gently queried the bodyguard, who answered: “It’s my job.”

“Ong then drove off with Lim in the front passenger seat and the bodyguard sitting behind.

“As they reached the expressway, the bodyguard was heard murmuring something, which sounded like a prayer, before he opened fire several times at Ong,” they added.

The sources said the bodyguard then pistol-whipped Lim on the head a few times as Ong crashed his black BMW into several vehicles in front of his.

“Lim managed to get out of the car and started running but the bodyguard gave chase and shot at him,” they said.

All the shots missed Lim but hit motorists on the expressway, resulting in two other deaths and four people injured.

The sources said Lim got a ride from a female driver, who later dropped him at a petrol kiosk where he called a friend to send him to the Penang Hospital.

Lim received two stitches for the wound on his head.

He was later detained by police to help in the investigation.

He and the bodyguard have been remanded until Dec 8.

The female driver, 42, also lodged a police report after she heard Lim, who borrowed her handphone to call two friends and relate to them what had happened to him and Ong, whom he referred to as tailo (big brother in Cantonese).

She had initially thought he was an accident victim.

The dead were identified as Choi Hon Ming, 32, and M. Senthil, 38, while the injured were part-time RTM videographer Mohamad Amirul Amin, 28, TNB assistant ma­­nager Nurul Huda Abdul Aziz, 38, doctor Arivarni Krishnan, 33, and factory worker Lee Hong Boon, 56.

Both Amirul and Nurul Huda are still in the intensive care unit of the Penang Hospital although their condition is reported to be stable. Lee is out in the regular ward.

It is learnt that Dr Arivarni has been transferred to a private hospital.

Police have identified Ong, who is also known as “Datuk M” for Datuk Muda (young Datuk), as a top boss in Gang 24, the triad said to be involved in protection rackets and illegal moneylending.