According to The Star Online, Syed Amen Jainul Abdin was shot twice in his head, twice in his chest and once in his arm in the incident along Jalan Datuk Keramat.

It is believed the 46-year-old pulled over his Mercedes Benz E-Class in front of the shop after realising that he was being followed by a motorcycle.

One of the assailants then alighted from the motorcycle and fired six shots, five hitting the businessman while the other missed during the 3.30am incident.

Penang CID chief Senior Asst Comm Zakaria Ahmad said the assailant also fired another shot at two Rela personnel guarding the shop, but the shot missed them.

“It is too early to establish the motive. We will investigate this from every angle.

“The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” the English daily quoted him as saying.

Prior to the shooting, the victim, who also owns a car wash centre, had allegedly received several death threats.

Two years ago, one of his cars was torched at his car wash centre after midnight, while a gun was left in his vehicle back in 2012 and he was allegedly threatened twice at his car wash centre after the incident.

Syed Amen had then claimed it was the work of drug dealers who wanted to use his car wash centre as a transit point.