27-9-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Vietnamese men suspected of theft were fatally shot following an alleged machete attack on police officers. The confrontation, which occurred in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, has sparked an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Penang Police Chief Commissioner Datuk Hamzah Ahmad detailed the events during a press conference at the Seberang Perai Selatan District Police Headquarters. According to his account, officers from the Crime Investigation Department were conducting a routine patrol when they spotted a suspicious vehicle parked along Jalan Bukit Panchor in Nibong Tebal at approximately 3:20 am.
“As our officers approached the car, two individuals emerged from a nearby factory,” Commissioner Hamzah explained. “Despite being instructed to halt, the men, brandishing machetes, advanced towards the police. In response to this threat, our officers discharged four rounds in self-defence.”
The encounter proved fatal for both suspects, aged 38 and 39, who were pronounced dead at the scene. Subsequent investigations revealed that the deceased were in Malaysia on tourist visas and had accrued a significant criminal history.
Commissioner Hamzah elaborated on the suspects’ alleged involvement in a series of break-ins across multiple jurisdictions. “Our ongoing investigation has linked these individuals to 11 separate incidents of property intrusion – six in Penang and five in neighbouring Kedah. The cumulative losses from these crimes are estimated at RM317,700,” he stated.
The case has been classified under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which pertains to attempted murder. As part of the standard procedure following such incidents, the bodies of the deceased have been transferred to Seberang Perai Hospital for further examination and autopsy.
