Fears of gangland wars

Shooting incidents spark fears of gangland war 



GEORGE TOWN: The three shooting incidents, including the assassination of a 37-year-old scrap dealer believed to be associated with Gang 36, which occurred over a span of 24 hours, has spawned speculation of a gangland war.

K. Veerappan was shot when he stopped the BMW 530i he was driving near a traffic light in Anson Road at 11.50am on Thursday.

It bore the registration number WVK 3636, which was believed to symbolise the gang’s number.

A motorcyclist rode up next to the car and the pillion rider whipped out a pistol and fired 14 shots, 10 of which hit his neck, cheek and abdomen.

His body was found slumped and his white shirt drenched with his blood.

The driver’s seat side window was shattered by the gunshots.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said Veerappan had had three previous drug records, adding that the car he was driving belonged to his 38-year-old friend who lives in Lebuh Macallum.

“Forensic policemen recovered 14 9mm-calibre bullet casings at the scene. Two machetes wrapped in newspaper were found in the car’s rear passenger seat,” ACP Gan said.

Before Veerappan’s shooting, a gunman fired at least six shots at a businessman’s bungalow in Jalan Utama. No one was injured in the 1.15am incident which is believed to be a triad’s warning to the businessman.

Only his 29-year old son, his daughter-in-law and a maid were at home at the time of the incident.

ACP Gan said the businessman, in his 60s, who is presently abroad, had lodged a police report last month after receiving an extortion letter containing six bullets.

“His daughter-in-law and maid found glass fragments from the window on the floor and bullet marks on the walls.

“Based on the CCTV footage, the gunman fired randomly from outside the house,” he said.

ACP Gan said the businessman had also received a text message in Chinese demanding that he deposit money into a local bank account.

“We are checking the mobile phone number from which the SMS was sent and also the bank account which has since been frozen.

“We are investigating the case under Section 39 of the Firearms Act and also Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation,” he said, adding that police had not ruled out the possibility that the case could be gang-related.

The third shooting occurred in front of an entertainment outlet in Jalan Datuk Keramat where a 43-year-old bouncer was hit in the left thigh at 12.30am yesterday.

A gunman fired seven shots but only one hit the victim nicknamed Too Pek (Stupid in Hokkien).


Too Pek being taken for treatment at the Penang Hospital.

The bouncer is believed to be one of the top leaders of the Si Lian (Four Tyres) also known as the 04 Gang.

It was learnt that Too Pek had just gotten out from his BMW when the unidentified assailant on a motorcycle shot him.

“Despite being hit, he managed to make his way into the outlet to seek help from his friends. He was later sent to the Penang Hospital where he received outpatient treatment.

“Two foreign cleaners were questioned by the police after they were spotted sweeping up the seven bullet casings which were later recovered from a dustbin,” said a source.

Gangland rivalry linked to the drug trade is also believed to be behind three other shootings – in Parit Buntar, Perak; Batu Kawan, Penang; and Air Keroh, Malacca.

A factory van driver N. Jeevandran, 26 was gunned down while leaving his house for work at Taman Seri Semarak, Parit Buntar on July 31. He had five previous criminal records and was was detained under the Restricted Residence Enactment until the Emergency Ordinance was repealed in 2011.

On May 12, S. Kannan, 37, and G. Suresh, 28, were killed and two others were seriously injured in a shooting at the Bukit Tambun traffic-light junction. They had just left a relative’s wedding when two assailants on a motorcycle pulled up to the vehicle and fired multiple shots at about 10.30pm. Both deceased had criminal records.

Police believe the killings could be related to the shooting of S. Sara-vanan, 39, at Air Keroh in February.
Saravanan, who had travelled from Butterworth to stand trial for a robbery case, was gunned down moments after leaving the courthouse.

- The Star contributed to this story

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Most shootings tied to gangland turf war
Gang 36 one of the most feared in the nation
Gang wars spill out into the open

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Crime is very real in everyday situations - cop robbed of his mobile phone! 

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Youngsters lured by power, money and glamour !

Crime is very real in everyday situations - cop robbed of his mobile phone!

TODAY, crime is happening not only in back alleys or in the dark but under broad daylight and even at one’s doorstep.

Concerns that the crime rate is on the rise are not unfounded. It is certainly no longer a perception. Now, it doesn’t pay to be an early bird. The early bird may not get the worm, but trouble.

The same goes for the night owls as trouble may await them. It is not advisable to go out after 9pm unless it is an emergency.

Gone are the days where teenagers could run errands safely for their parents.

A report about a policeman being robbed of his mobile phone “Robber hits cop on the head and makes off with smartphone” (The Star, July 27) is also disturbing.- see below

I feel our police force should be given refresher training to beef up their defence skills.

In case of being attacked, they should be able to fight off their attackers even if they are armed.

If the cops are not able to ward off the attackers, what about us, the ordinary laymen on the street, who depend on them to protect and safeguard us.

Cops who are obese, for example, should be given top priority to attend such courses. They should undergo a diet and exercise regimen to trim down their waistline.

In the end, they should be able to chase after the criminals without running out of breath.

Being fit is not only good for them but also for those who care for them. Remember, health is wealth.

Malaysia is truly a land of opportunity for those who work hard to earn their living the legal way and also for those with evil intentions.

Much needs to be done to tackle crime. In the meantime, always be alert and take the necessary precautions to avoid any untoward incident.

TAKE CARE Putrajaya

Robber hits cop on the head and makes off with smartphone

KUALA LUMPUR: A policeman suffered a huge gash on his head after an armed robber hit him with a metal rod and stole his smartphone.

The incident occurred when the policeman, who is in his 20s, was having supper at a restaurant at Setapak yesterday.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Zakaria Pagam said the suspect, armed with the metal rod, had attacked the off-duty policeman at around 2am.

“The constable is attached to the Sentul Motorcycle Patrol Unit. He was not in uniform during the incident,” he told reporters at the City police buka puasa function in Putrajaya yesterday.

He said the suspect had hit the policeman with the rod before demanding that he hand over his smartphone.
“When the policeman refused, the suspect hit him on the head again. The policeman then got into a scuffle with the suspect before being overpowered,” he said.

ACP Zakaria said the suspect ran off with the smartphone towards an accomplice waiting nearby on a motorcycle.

“The policeman was rushed to Hospital Kuala Lumpur where he received more than 20 stitches for the gash on his head,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated as causing hurt in an armed robbery.

He urged anyone with information on the case to contact the police hotline at 03-2115 9999 or visit the nearest police station.

 By AUSTIN CAMOENS - The Star/Asia News Network

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Crime Watcher shot, banker killed; are Malaysia sliding to a state of lawlessness?

ANOTHER day, another shooting. It seems as if we are becoming as dangerous as some South American nations where gun violence seems to be the norm.

It’s just not confined to one or two areas but is happening across the nation.

Three shootings in two days. A 25-year-old man, Jasrafveendeerjeet Singh, was shot in front of a restaurant in Ipoh at 10.15pm. Another man, G. Santhana Samy, 30, was wounded in the thigh when he stopped at a traffic light in Butterworth at 8.30pm.

And in Kuala Lumpur, Arab-Malaysian Development Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi died from multiple bullet wounds. He was shot in Lorong Ceylon while walking with his wife to his car in broad daylight.

These incidents followed the murder attempt of MyWatch chairman R. Sri Sanjeevan in Seremban on Saturday who was shot when his car stopped at the traffic lights.

The police response: the setting-up of yet another “high-powered” task force to investigate the crime. Actually, we have lost count of how many high-owered or high-level committees and task forces have been set up to investigate the various shooting crimes.

In fact, we are still waiting for some indication of the progress made by the task force set up in May to hunt down those responsible for the spate of shooting cases then, including the murder of Customs deputy director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim.

Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin had announced that the special CID task force, headed by Federal principal assistant director of Serious Crime (D9) Senior Asst Comm Datuk Huzir Mohamed would identify and arrest the criminals.

At the same time, Penang police have also set up a separate task force to probe a series of shootings, which left at least four people dead over the past five months.

From seemingly ordinary Joes to prominent people being gunned down, the public can’t help but wonder whether we are on a rapid slide to a state of lawlessness. The sense of insecurity and nervousness is definitely growing.

Apart from gun-toting criminals, robbers are crashing restaurants to rob the patrons en masse.

Eateries that used to operate till the wee hours are now closing early; there are way fewer people who want to risk being robbed while having supper.

Even snatch thieves have grown more vicious and brazen. They do not just grab but often slash their victims to incapacitate them, making their getaway easier.

In such a state of affairs, we are almost relieved to read of cases where the “victim” is an ATM. The thieves who hack away and drag out these cash-vending machines seem almost harmless and preferable to those who prey on people.

Undoubtedly, the police have their hands full. Theirs is no easy task with no easy solutions. So far, they are focusing on identifying weapons smugglers to try to root out the source of gun-related crimes.

But more action and arrests are what is desperately needed because the ferocity and the increasing number of assassinations are striking fear in all of us.

Our top cops may continue to try to assure us that our nation is still very safe but unfortunately, that’s just not good enough.

- The Star Says

Beware the smash and grab robbers

PETALING JAYA: Smash and grab robbers are among the criminal threats faced by the average Malaysian driver today.

These menace on wheels prey on drivers when they stop at traffic light junctions by smashing the passenger side window of the car and grabbing valuables placed on the passenger seat.

Despite it not being a new ploy, people still continue to fall victim to such smash and grab robbers.

Statistics released by the Royal Malaysian Police showed that smash and grab cases are still contributing to the national crime index.

“Smash and grab cases which are classified as snatch theft cases, are a part of the 319 cases of snatch thefts recorded in May and June this year,” said the report.

The reason for this, said Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed, is that most people do not take the necessary steps to protect themselves from smash and grab robbers.

“The obvious one is that people should not place valuables like mobile phones and handbags on the passenger side seat while driving.

“However, there are still many who place valuables on the passenger side seat and make themselves easy targets,” he said recently.

ACP Arjunaidi said it was important for the people not to panic.

“Drivers have to be vigilant at all times and should not panic no matter what happens, so that they know how to respond to a situation,” he said.

Citing a videoclip he was shown recently of a man smashing a car window about 10 times without breaking the glass, he said the woman driver just stared blankly at the man.

“If she was alert and had not panicked, she could have shielded herself from harm and called the police or gone to a safe place,” he said.

He also said basic steps like always being aware of one’s surroundings and keeping valuables out of plain sight helped.

“Tinting windows can also help because the film could prevent the window from shattering easily which would hinder the thieves,” he said.

By M. KUMAR kumar@thestar.com.my The Star/Asia News Network

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Be Alert and Vigilance to Stay Safe!

Smash-grab victim takes to the Internet to spread message of vigilance

PETALING JAYA: A vehicle smash-and-grab victim has set up a website called Be Alert Stay Safe to spread the message of vigilance.

Crime Scene

 The website, www.bealertstaysafe.tumblr.com, features stories from victims as well as those who witness similar incidents.

 Ling (who only wants to be known by her first name) said: “I'm so tired of people just talking about it. I'm very angry at what's happening and Malaysians need to stop talking and take action.”

She had lost her laptop and six months' worth of dissertation research in an instant when the assailants smashed her car during a traffic jam.

In an interview recently, Ling said her traumatic experience was worsened by the “nonchalant attitude” of the motorists around her, who did not bother to get out of their car despite witnessing the incident.

Another woman who has taken to the Internet to spread awareness is Anna Chew, whose women's e-magazine (www.venusbuzz.com) runs an awareness campaign called the CARing project.


Besides featuring articles on self-protection tips, the website also has a “car park rating system” where people can rate the safety of shopping mall car parks in the Klang Valley.

The ratings are based on 10 questions, including whether there were CCTVs, active security guard patrolling, buggy services and panic buttons installed.

Chew said reports would be compiled based on the ratings received and handed over to each shopping mall's management.

“We hope the respective managements will take this seriously and not implement superficial services just to make themselves look good,” she stressed, adding that women must be proactive.

When contacted, Malaysian Association for Shopping and High-Rise Complex Management general manager Evelyn Lo said they would be having an open dialogue with Bukit Aman next Friday.

“We will be discussing a variety of security issues and we have invited all the shopping malls,” she said, urging all mall visitors to remain alert of their surroundings despite existing security systems.

Mid Valley Megamall public relations assistant manager Stephanie Tan said security had been beefed up in the mall's car park after a recent assault on a female shopper there.

She said the mall had increased the number of panic buttons, adding that these were prominently displayed on black and red checkered pillars marked with a “HELP” sign.

“We also have escort services for which shoppers can request from the information counter, car park lobby security booths or our hotline,” she said.

By ISABELLE LAI isabellelai@thestar.com.my