KOTA KINABALU: Homemade weapons costing about RM100 could have been used during Saturday night's shooting spree which damaged over 40 shops in several districts.
City police chief Asst Comm Jauteh Dikun said no arrest have been made in connection with the incident that occurred between midnight on Jan 11 and 1am the following day.
Police are now establishing the type of weapons used, Jauteh said when commenting on a local report that the culprits could have used homemade weapons costing as little as RM100.
In the report, Sabah paintball sport pioneer Miguel Aaron was quoted as saying that going by the damages and the recovery of metal ball bearings or marbles, the weapons used by the shooters could be homemade airguns.
He said it was unlikely that the shooters used air rifles which were banned in Malaysia.
The main components of the homemade air gun include a PVC pipe and canister containing industrial compressed air used to propel the ball bearings.
Such homemade devices are common in the Philippines where they are known as boga.
Banks, restaurants, hand phone outlets, supermarkets, hotels, car showrooms, hotels and offices in Kota Kinabalu and another eight in Penampang district were damaged in the shooting.
Police said at least six individuals who moved about in two four-wheel-drive vehicles and a car were involved in the shooting.
Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri had on Monday that the incident could have been part of a grand design to instil fear among the public.
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