Police shoot dead a Mamak Gang member in Kuala Kangsar

IPOH: Police dealt yet a further blow to the notorious "Mamak Gang" when they killed yet another of its members in a shootout in Kuala Kangsar, on Tuesday.
The dead gangster was identified as Muhammad Asharaf Jamaluddin (pix), 24, from Padang Rengas, Kuala Kangsar.
Late last month, a key member of the Mamak Gang, Anuar Osman, 59, who had been high on the police wanted list and on the run for more than 20 years, was killed in a shootout with police at Taman Melawati, Ampang while his 32-year-old accomplice who suffered gunshot wounds, was arrested.
Giving details of the incident on Tuesday, Perak CID chief SAC Datuk Mohd Dzuraidi Ibrahim said in an operation codenamed "Ops Cantas Khas" a police team acting on a tip-off, had raided a house in Taman Bunga Raya at 9.30pm.
"The suspect started firing at the raiding party, forcing police to return fire and killing the man," he told a press conference today.
Dzuraidi said Muhammad Asharaf who has past criminal records, was wanted by police for a robbery in Kamunting and the murder of a police motorcycle unit patrolman in Kerian, last May.
He said on searching the house, police found and seized several items including a Colt. 45 semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of .45 ammunition, four police jackets, a beacon light, a pair of handcuffs, a number of vehicle registration number plates, parangs, axes, eight gloves, three ski masks and 72 handphones. Four Customs department badges were also found.
Mohd Dzuraidi said a task force was formed by Perak police to track down the gang after they committed several robberies, break-ins and thefts of luxury cars in the last three months.
He said police had scored a success with the arrest of two members of the gang from Kampung Stesen, Kuala Kangsar earlier this month — a 50-year-old man at Kampung Tawas, Ipoh on Dec 12 and a 37-year-old man in Lenggong last Sunday.
The older suspect has 25 previous convictions in several cases and was wanted for six cases in Kedah, Selangor, Penang and Malacca while the younger has 20 criminal records and is wanted for eight criminal cases in Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Malacca.
"With their arrest, we believe we can solve 24 robbery cases in Perak," he said, adding that police had also seized several stolen cars, a police vest, a bunch of luxury car keys, a cutter and a walkie-talkie when arresting the two men.
The older suspect was arrested with a 33-year-old female companion. Both tested positive for drugs. All three have been remanded to facilitate investigations.

Meanwhile, Mohd Dzuraidi said police are seeking two men — Mohd Sharif Abu Bakar, 52, believed to be the gang's mastermind, and Nazrulhizam Mohamad Ramli, 35, to assist in investigations into the gang's activities.
The notorious Mamak Gang which originated from Kuala Kangsar, had gained notoriety for stealing RM12 million worth of gold bars from the Malaysia Airlines cargo complex at the former Subang Airport on Aug 31, 1994.