Indonesian man who tried to attack cops shot dead

KUCHING - An Indonesian worker who tried to attack the police with a machete (parang), was shot dead at a palm oil plantation near Betong here on Saturday evening.

The deceased identified as Taufik, 37 from Lanta Indonesian started to attack his colleagues about 5pm before the police arrived.

Betong District Police chief, Deputy Superintendent Wan Zaizoddin Wan Jaafar said when the police arrived, the Indonesian worker went straight to the police car with the machete, and opened the door to attack the personnel in the car too.

"Our man warned the victim for several times but he didn't listen and wanted to attack the police. The police has no choice but to shoot twice at him," he added.

He denied claims that the police had wilfully killed the man.

"We were there to help and there is no reason their colleagues wanted to attack us. That is not true," Wan Zaizoddin said.

Following the shooting, it was reported that a big crowd of Indonesian workers converged at the Pusa police station near Betong yesterday.

Meanwhile, Wan Zaizoddin said to Bernama today the situation in Betong was calm and safe and denied that a riot had taken place there as rumoured. He said the situation was under control following the incident yesterday

"I seek the people's cooperation not to spread rumours that a riot had taken place. That is just an assumption," he said.