27/02/2026

FRIDAY | FEB 27, 2026

5

Two nabbed within a day of border shooting

Elderly disabled woman killed in home fire

IPOH: An elderly woman with disabilities was killed after the house she was living in at Jalan Lahat, Simpang Pulai near here was destroyed in a fire. Perak Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division assistant director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the department received an emergency call at 10.31pm on Wednesday, and personnel from the Simpang Pulai Fire and Rescue Station were immediately dispatched to the scene. Firefighters arrived three minutes later and found the blaze engulfing a Class A single-storey house, with about 90% of the structure already damaged. “Upon arrival, the fire had spread to almost the entire house and a victim was believed to be trapped inside. “After the fire was extinguished, the body of an 81-year-old local woman, who was deaf and mute, was found burnt in the living room located in the middle of the house,” he said in a statement yesterday. Sabarodzi said the woman’s 79-year-old brother, who was also in the house at the time, managed to escape when the fire broke out. A total of 27 personnel were involved in the operation, including members from the Pasir Puteh Fire and Rescue Station and the Pekan Baru Fire Volunteer Squad. The victim’s body was later handed over to police for further action. Sabarodzi added that the Fire Investigation Division, together with police, conducted investigations at the scene, while the department’s K9 Detection Unit was deployed to assist. “The cause of the fire and the estimated losses have yet to be ascertained. The operation was concluded at 1.01am,” he said. – Bernama Green light for probe into ‘tonto’ cartel KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry has expressed full support for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s investigation and arrest of enforcement officers suspected of acting as middlemen for a “tonto” cartel linked to corrupt protection rackets involving commercial vehicles. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he had been informed in advance of the joint operation carried out by the Road Transport Department (RTD) and the MACC to safeguard the image, credibility and integrity of the department against compromising elements. He said he had received numerous complaints, including from lorry operators, regarding enforcement personnel allegedly leaking operational information to external parties before enforcement action was taken. “This has happened several times over the past few months. I have raised the matter with the director-general and the RTD enforcement director, and as a result, preparations were made together with the MACC to take action. “Following investigations and surveillance, it was found that there were indeed internal parties involved, and arrests were made yesterday,” he said. Loke said this after attending a business zakat handover ceremony by the Railway Assets Corporation and the Ihya Ramadan programme with orphans and media staff on Wednesday evening. Also present were Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah and Railway Assets Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Azhar Ahmad. – Bernama

o MCBA commander escapes unhurt, probe explores syndicate retaliation angle

perform subuh prayers at Masjid Al Muhajirin, pursued the suspects for about 1km before they fled into a nearby industrial area. Police have not ruled out the possibility that criminal syndicates operating along the border acted in retaliation following a series of successful seizures by MCBA Bukit Kayu Hitam this year, including 100 tonnes of rice and pork. The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. Separately, MCBA director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, who inspected the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex on the day of the incident, said the shooting was believed to be linked to the agency’s recent enforcement pressure at the border. He said intensified operations by the 14 month-old agency, including an integrated exercise from Jan 15 to Feb 15, resulted in seizures worth more than RM3.1 million at the Bukit Kayu Hitam complex. Mohd Shuhaily noted that MCBA personnel are not equipped with firearms and said this is among the areas under review – alongside bulletproof vests and other protective gear – to better safeguard officers against criminal threats.

24 hours. The investigation is ongoing.” He stressed that safeguarding border personnel remains a key government priority amid persistent cross-border threats. “I want to state here that ensuring border security is the government’s priority. “All efforts are being strengthened to ensure agencies stationed at border entry points, which face multiple threats such as cross-border crime, weapons smuggling, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal immigrants and organised crime, are fully protected.” The matter was raised by Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang), who sought clarification on the safety of enforcement personnel following the shooting targeting the MCBA commander in Bukit Kayu Hitam. At about 5.40am on Feb 25, Bukit Kayu Hitam MCBA commander Senior Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir escaped unharmed after two shots were fired at his privately owned SUV, about 1km from the Malaysia-Thailand border. Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said two men dressed in black and wearing full face helmets approached on a motorcycle, with one suspect firing two shots that struck the rear right door and front passenger door. Mohd Nasaruddin, who was driving alone to

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Two suspects have been arrested within 24 hours of the shooting involving a Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) commander in Bukit Kayu Hitam, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said investigations are ongoing following swift police action. “The incident that occurred yesterday in Bukit Kayu Hitam is deeply regretted. However, we are grateful that the MCBA commander was safe when he left early in the morning for subuh prayers. The shots only struck his vehicle. “We have already made arrests within

Family members and friends of the deceased seen gathering at the hospital’s forensic unit. – BERNAMAPIC

Five family members perish in pre-dawn blaze RAUB: A sundry shopkeeper heard screams coming from a neighbouring house where five family members perished in a fire in Kampung Pamah Kulat near here early yesterday morning. Ruslah Ismail, 64, said she heard the screams while preparing food for sahur at about 3am. “I had already woken up and was about to cook some rice whe I heard two screams. in 2014. Nor Rizan said the incident had deeply affected her, as she had known the family for a long time and they had often helped her late mother. “They had rented the house for a long time. We were truly shocked and deeply saddened because we saw the victims’ children grow up before our eyes.

engines from the Raub and Lipis stations were involved in the operation. Meanwhile, Raub police chief Supt Mohd Shahril Abdul Rahman said police had identified the five family members who died in the blaze. “The victims are Mohd Alawi Muhammad, 56, his wife Zaleha Adam @ Ibrahim, 44, and their three children, Ruby Adira Batrisya, 17, Ruby Adlina Banin, 14, and Ruby Azyan Barizah, 10. “At the time of the incident, the couple’s two other children were not at home as they were staying at their respective school dormitories. “Ruby Adalia Balqis, 19, is a student at Gambang Matriculation College, Kuantan, and Ahmad Balia Murqam, 15, is studying at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dong,” Mohd Shahril said in a statement yesterday. He added that police were notified of the incident at 3.35am. “The bodies were found after the fire was extinguished and were taken to Raub Hospital’s mortuary,” he told Bernama when contacted.

“When I looked at the house next door, the fire was already raging. I woke my child who was sleeping and quickly took important belongings out of the house because I was afraid the fire would spread,” she said when met at the scene. She described the intensity of the blaze as shocking and said it left her in a panic. According to her, firefighters arrived at about 4.15am. “The husband and wife ran a food business and had lived in that house for almost 10 years. They were indeed very good to us,” she added. The house owner, Nor Rizan Kamaluddin, 59, said the property was built after the original house next to the scene was destroyed in a fire

“They were very kind and helpful. When my mother was still alive, they would help contact our family whenever she needed anything.” The retiree said she was informed of the incident by a neighbour and arrived at the scene, about 200m from her home, at 3.45am when the fire was still raging. Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Mohd Razam Taja Rahim said firefighters arrived at 4.15am and brought the blaze under control about 30 minutes later. He said the fire also damaged three cars and three motorcycles. Mohd Razam said 14 firefighters in three