IGP: No link ever established between Prebet Adam and Johor palace

- Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The 1987 case involving Prebet Adam Jaafar, who ran amok in the Chow Kit Road area, has long been settled and no link was ever established between him and the Johor Palace, said Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun (pic).

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) said the case had gone through the due process of the law after the incident in October 1987.

"Any viral news which linked the incident with the Johor Palace are blatant lies.

"Adam's family have even come out with a statement confirming that none of their family members were victimised," he told The Star on Monday.

The IGP urged the public not to spread false information.

"This is an offence under Section 4(1) of Anti-Fake News Act 2018. Those found guilty can be fined up to RM500,000 or up to six years imprisonment or both," he said.

In October 1987, Adam, then a 23-year-old soldier, stole an M16 rifle and a motorcycle from his army camp in Ipoh.

He travelled to Kuala Lumpur at a time when political tension was high.

He left his hotel and went on a shooting spree in the city's Chow Kit area that left one person dead from a bullet ricochet and several others wounded.

Adam shot at cars and at a petrol station fuel tank which burst into flames. He eventually surrendered and at his trial, his lawyer argued a defence of temporary insanity.

The case was revisited after the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, mentioned the incident involving Adam that had marred the name of the Johor royal family.

Rumours went around back then that Adam's brother was supposedly a golf caddy who had laughed when the then Johor Ruler Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail missed a shot.

The late Sultan had supposedly hit Adam's brother on the head with a golf club and the caddy died.

Adam's younger sister, Hawa Jaafar, 53, had come out to refute the urban legend that Prebet Adam went on a shooting spree because their brother was the golf caddy who had been killed.

"Adam went amok in Chow Kit due to problems in his workplace and not because our brother was killed by the Sultan," she said on April 12, as reported in The Star.

"I apologise to the family of the Tunku Mahkota Johor for being dragged into this slander involving my brother Prebet Adam."

She said the family had to hold back their shame and anger for 30 years because they were unable to explain the truth to the public and the authorities.