In a statement today, DAP assistant national publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching said the shooting highlighted concerns over the state of gun control in Malaysia.
She questioned the accuracy of government figures on crime, bringing up a written parliamentary reply by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Nov 15, in which he cited 249 incidents of firearm-related violence between 2014 and September 2016.
According to Zahid, Teo said, the 249 cases covered 105 cases of murder, 117 cases of attempted murder, and 27 cases of armed robbery.
Only 122 of the 249 cases, or 49%, have been solved so far, she added.
In a parliamentary reply dated Nov 8 however, Teo said, Zahid stated that in the first nine months of 2016, reported firearm-related cases stood at 24 for murder, 27 for attempted murder, and 31 for armed robbery.
“If 31 cases of armed robbery had been reported in the period between January and September of 2016, how is it possible there were only 27 cases of armed robbery happening between 2014 and September 2016, as disclosed by Ahmad Zahid in his previous reply?” she asked.
“In the short span of a week, Ahmad Zahid the home minister gave two conflicting answers, showing a lack of transparency the government has over crime statistics.”
The Kulai MP also asked where criminals had acquired their weapons, citing government figures that in the nine months between January and September 2016, there had been 82 cases of firearm-related violence – an average of nine cases per month.
She called on Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, and Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, to explain.
In the country’s latest high-profile shooting, a logistics executive was shot at 5.45pm yesterday while driving along Jalan Pekaka 1 in her BMW 3 series GT towards Jalan Bukit Gambir, Penang.
It was reported that two men on a motorcycle rode up to the driver’s side of the woman’s car while the pillion rider fired 10 shots in her direction, six of which hit in her chest and other parts of her body. Police said the woman was not involved in any gang-related activities.
Teo said the fact that criminals were not afraid to commit such acts in broad daylight pointed to the perceived incompetency of the police force.
“If our men in blue are unable to contain such threats that disrupt peace, what is at stake is the safety of Malaysians, and the peace and security of the society,” she said.