Border Shooting: First Time Shootout Occurred - Malaysian IGP

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Prior to Tuesday's fatal shooting, Malaysian General Operations Force (GOF) members on duty at the Malaysia-Thailand border area had only heard the sound of gunfire directed at the Border Wall TS9 control post from the other side of the country, said Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador. These gunshots were heard on Nov 12 and Nov 15. However, Tuesday's gunshots, which were directed near the TS9 control post in Padang Besar of Malaysia’s northernmost state Perlis, at 2.30 am, resulted in the death of a GOF personnel and serious injury to another. Abdul Hamid said this was the first time that a shootout had occurred at the Malaysia-Thailand border between the GOF and smugglers, and which resulted in the death of a security personnel. “This shows that the smugglers are becoming more aggressive and bolder in attacking GOF personnel on duty at the border,” he told a special press conference here Tuesday. On the same development, Kedah police chief Hasanuddin Hassan said that the shooting incident will not weaken the resolve of security forces in carrying out their duties in safeguarding the country. He added the incident would instead serve as a source of inspiration to the security forces, including the Royal Malaysia Police or other security agencies, to tighten border control under ‘Op Benteng’. "’Op Benteng’ will continue as usual and this (Tuesday) morning’s incident is not an incident that will deter us, but will strengthen our resolve to monitor the areas we are responsible for respectively under the operation. "In Kedah, there are walls at our border areas and we monitor these areas. This was an incident that was not supposed to happen between the police and other parties,” he told reporters Tuesday. Kedah is Malaysia’s northern state. Asked if heightened security control at the country’s borders was needed following the shooting, Hasanuddin said the border control was secure enough at this time with the involvement of other security agencies. He, however, reminded members of the security forces on duty at Malaysia’s borders to always be alert as these areas could have potential threats. "To the family of the personnel who died as a hero at the Malaysia-Thailand border this morning, I, on behalf of the Kedah police contingent headquarters would like to offer our condolences,” he said. He had earlier visited the forensics department of Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital where the body of Corporal Baharuddin Ramli, 54, had undergone an autopsy before being sent to his family’s residence in Negeri Sembilan. The late Baharuddin was shot dead while another GOF personnel, Corporal Norihan a/l Tari, 39, was seriously injured. He subsequently received treatment at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, Kangar, the capital city of Perlis. -- BERNAMA