Special task force to investigate Johor petrol station murder: DIGP

PUTRAJAYA: Police will form a special team at state level to investigate the case where four suspects brutally stabbed and ran over a man twice with their car at a petrol station in Johor Baru on Sunday.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said Bukit Aman had contacted the Johor police chief on Monday to set up the special team to speed up investigations.
"We view the case as a serious matter and we want the special team to gather evidence, and get to the bottom of the brutal incident," he said after attending the 25th Annual General Meeting of Security Services Association Malaysia (PPKKM).
Noor Rashid revealed that the murdered victim had been identified and he had previous criminal records but declined to elaborate further.
"The deceased had been involved in several cases and it is unnecessary for me to comment about him," he added.
He further explained that police so far had information that the incident was an indication of a money-lending issue and possibly a territorial dispute.
"We do not want to conclude anything yet but we have received some information on the motive behind the incident.
"Among the possible motives include money lending and we are not dismissing that the incident could have been due to a turf war," he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier confirmed the gruesome murder was due to a dispute between two underworld gangs.
Ahmad Zahid said the police have identified the victim and the four suspects involved as being from two different gangs.
He added that the 44-year-old victim was a leader of one of the gangs.
"We are confident the incident was caused by a dispute between the two gangs. The police have identified the four suspects, and they will not get away with this," he told a press conference after attending the Home Ministry's monthly assembly, here, today.
The Home Minister added that he expected a retaliation from the gang of the murdered man following the incident, but maintained that the police were prepared for any eventuality.
"Police will continue to take action against these underworld gangs, and we will ensure any illegal association that breaches our laws will face the consequences," he said.
Meanwhile, it is believed that one of the suspects in the brutal murder is a runner for an Ah Long.
The suspect's face went viral after a video of the incident went viral.
His father who lives in Pontian district got to know about the incident from his neighbour.
According to his father, the suspect in the video looks like his son, a 28-year-old man, who used to work for an Ah Long.
"I helped him to settle his debt of RM40,000, but I don't know how much he has borrowed from Ah Long," the man said, adding he had not seen his son since he moved out more than three years ago.
In the 7.30pm incident, the victim had parked his car at the petrol station to check his tyres when the suspects, who arrived in another car, went up to him and immediately attacked him.
A video of the incident that went viral showed the suspects stabbing him, running over him with their car twice, before throwing firecrackers at the station.