KUALA PILAH, Dec 17 — A man in his 40s has been remanded for seven days to assist police investigations into a shooting incident that injured a local man collecting petai in a forested area of Kampung Maasop, Senaling, on December 12.
Kuala Pilah district police chief Superintendent Muhamad Mustafah Hussin said the remand order was issued to allow investigators sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive probe into the case.
According to him, the suspect was arrested on Sunday at Kota Kinabalu International Airport through a joint operation involving the Negeri Sembilan police and the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters Criminal Investigation Department.
“Initial investigations indicate that the suspect was directly involved in the shooting incident. Police have also seized several items believed to be linked to the case,” he said in a statement.
He added that background checks revealed the suspect has a prior criminal record, prompting investigators to examine whether the current offence is connected to previous criminal activities.
In the incident, the victim, a local resident, was reportedly collecting petai in a forested area when he was shot by an unknown assailant. The victim sustained pellet wounds to his right rib and back as a result of the attack.
The injured man was subsequently taken for medical treatment and is reported to be in stable condition.
Police are currently investigating various angles, including the possibility of personal disputes, criminal motives or other factors that may have led to the shooting.
The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, as well as Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, both of which carry severe penalties upon conviction.
Superintendent Muhamad Mustafah stressed that police take incidents involving firearms seriously and will not compromise on public safety.
He also urged members of the public with information related to the incident to come forward and assist with investigations, while cautioning against speculation that could interfere with the legal process.