KANGAR – Eighteen men have been remanded to facilitate investigations into the shootout between General Operations Force (GOF) members and groups of smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border near Padang Besar yesterday.
They comprise three Thais, who have been remanded for seven days until December 1, and 15 local men, who have been remanded for four days until Saturday.
The remand order against them was issued by Kangar magistrates' court assistant registrar Monica Joseph Gaisah.
The men, aged between 19 and 37, were handcuffed when taken by the police to the remand room at 8.50am.
A GOF member, Corporal Baharuddin Ramli, 54, was killed, while his colleague, Corporal Norihan a/l Tari, 39, was severely injured in the shootout with the smugglers about 600m from the Border Wall TS9 control post in Padang Besar early yesterday.
Meanwhile, Perlis police chief Datuk Surina Saad said the 18 men were arrested within three hours of the incident.
“The first arrests were made at 7am, while the second arrests at 9.30am yesterday,” she said.
Baharuddin died on the spot, while Norihan is currently being treated at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital here.
The case is being investigated under Section 302/307 of the Penal Code. – Bernama, November 25, 2020