WHAT began as a routine stop by officers from a specialised anti-smuggling unit near a toll plaza quickly escalated into a high-speed confrontation in the early hours of the morning.
When two vehicles carrying foreign nationals were intercepted, the drivers reacted aggressively, attempting to use their vehicles as weapons to evade capture and escape the scene.
Given the extreme measures taken by the police in response, were police officers forced to fire shots at a vehicle for ramming into them?
Verdict:
TRUE
Police were forced to fire five shots at a sports utility vehicle (SUV) after it crashed into their vehicle as the suspects tried to flee near the Telok Panglima Garang Toll Plaza, Kuala Langat, early Friday (Oct 10) morning.
Kuala Langat police chief Supt Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi said the incident occurred at about 4.30am.
A General Operations Force (PGA) Central Brigade, Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) team, assisted by PGA Pos Pulau Carey personnel, stopped two vehicles.
The vehicles were a four-wheel-drive truck and an SUV, both carrying foreign nationals.
"The suspect in the four-wheel-drive quickly reversed and crashed into a Perodua Myvi, which belonged to a Pos Pulau Carey officer, damaging the car," said Mohd Akmalrizal in a statement on Saturday (Oct 11).
"At the same time, the SUV crashed into the police vehicle, and two officers fired five shots at the SUV's rear tyre," he said.
During the confusion, the suspect driving the four-wheel drive fled against traffic into the toll area.
The SUV sped off towards the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE).
"The officers tried to chase the SUV but found it abandoned by the side of the SKVE, with no one inside," he said.
A search for the foreign suspects was unsuccessful, and no illegal items were found in the SUV.
No one was injured, and the search for the suspects is ongoing.
The public was urged not to speculate on the matter.
Anyone with information should contact the Kuala Langat Police Headquarters at 03-3187 2222.
The case is under investigation under Section 186 of the Penal Code.
