KUALA LUMPUR: The firearm-related murder incident, which has become rampant, is a new phenomenon in Malaysia and probably involves hitmen, former Criminal Investigation Department chief Tan Sri Zaman Khan said.
He said this was because robbery was no longer found to be the motive for such an incident as it was normally associated with personal issues and that the murder was carefully planned.
“To me, it is indeed a new phenomenon. During my time, we do have such incidents occurring once in a while, but not as rampant as now. Yesterday alone, two or three people were shot dead.
“I believe the killings were done by hitmen because the way the shots were fired proved that they really expect the victim to die on the spot,” he told Bernama TV in an exclusive interview here yesterday.
Zaman, who is also former Prison Department director-general and synonymous with high-profile crime, said this in response to the incident where Arab Malaysian Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi was shot dead at an open car park in the city yesterday.
He said it was also high time for the government to draft a new law to allow police to detain a suspect without trial, just like the Emergency Ordinance (EO)1969 which was abolished in 2011, as such a law was vital in ensuring public safety.
Furthermore, he said it was also an effective measure to combat serious and organised crime.
“We need such a law to ensure public safety so that the people will be able to enjoy life without feeling threatened or oppressed by these criminals,” he said.
Media reports stated that the police had detected 67 serious crimes committed by former EO detainees within the first six months this year, a 100 per cent increase from 33 cases reported in the corresponding period last year.
The increase followed the release of 2,473 EO detainees in July 2012.
Hussain Ahmad was shot dead two days after anti-crime activist R Sri Sanjeevan, who is also MyWatch chairman, was shot at near Taman Awana Indah, Jempol, Negeri Sembilan.
Customs Department deputy director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim was also shot dead while driving to his office in Putrajaya on April 26. — Bernama