ALOR SETAR: Gunmen who opened fire on a senior police officer near the Malaysia-Thai border here may have been seeking revenge over thwarted smuggling attempts.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police were investigating all angles, including the possibility that the shooting was an act of vengeance against the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) for its efforts in curbing cross-border criminal activities.
He said police were not ruling out any motive at this stage, including drugs, smuggling activities, organised crime elements or links to transnational offences along the border.
“The incident may have stemmed from the concerted efforts by AKPS to combat illegal activities, including smuggling, along the border. Police will examine all angles, whether it involves the smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons, drugs, firearms or other organised cross-border crimes,” he said after visiting the AKPS office at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex.
As the shooting occurred near the border and one of the suspects detained was not Malaysian, he said police were considering contacting their counterparts in neighbouring countries for help.
On Wednesday, seven suspects, including a Thai woman and her husband, were arrested following the incident, in which an SUV driven by Senior Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir was shot at by two suspects on a motorcycle.
SAC Mohd Nasaruddin was on his way to a mosque in Bukit Kayu Hitam, about 1km from the border, at about 5.40am.
The Thai woman and her husband were arrested near the Padang Besar border checkpoint in Perlis at 12.30pm while attempting to flee. Saifuddin said two more suspects were arrested on Friday night in connection with the incident.
The local men, aged 51 and 58, were detained near Bukit Kayu Hitam after the authorities obtained information from the first group of detainees and a description provided by the AKPS commander.
Regarding whether the two men were linked to the alleged stalking of the senior officer, the minister confirmed that their names had surfaced early in the investigation.
“When we initiated preliminary investigations, the police informed me that these two individuals were mentioned by our commander,” Saifuddin said, adding that the commander had sensed he was being followed for some time and had described the suspects.
He added that protection measures had been stepped up to safeguard the commander, while vigilance at the checkpoint had also been increased.
