JOHOR BAHRU: The fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man outside a restaurant in a Johor Bahru district on Wednesday (Jan 8) was an isolated incident, said the state’s police chief.
Johor Police Chief M Kumar also urged the public to remain calm and not to speculate on the case.
“The public should not panic as the incident is an isolated one with no links to broader safety concerns or threats in Johor,” he said in a statement.
Kumar added: “The public is advised not to speculate or make comments that could disrupt the investigation process or manipulate facts to cause public unease.”
In the incident on Wednesday, the man – whom the police said was Malaysian – was shot and killed as he was eating lunch at a restaurant in Taman Setia Indah.
The district is about a half-hour drive from the Johor Bahru Checkpoint.
Kumar said that the man was found with four gunshot wounds.
Meanwhile, Johor Bahru South Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said that the incident happened at noon.
“The police are actively investigating to identify those involved, locate witnesses, and determine the exact cause,” Raub said, adding that police are also checking CCTV footage from nearby premises.
Raub noted that a video of the incident has gone viral on social media, and urged the public not to further share it.
“Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Johor Bahru South IPD hotline at 07-2182323 or approach the nearest police station,” he added.
The Star reported that a workshop worker had heard “three explosive noises” and saw that a motorcycle had fled the scene.
“The next thing we saw was a man lying on the floor in front of the restaurant,” he was quoted as saying by The Star, adding that he initially thought people were playing with fireworks.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code involving murder.
In June, two men were killed in a Johor Bahru suburb after a shootout with the police.
Kumar had said then that one of the suspects who died was a 42-year-old man with a criminal record involving 38 offences, including drug-related crimes.