GIVEN how peaceful Malaysia is and the good relations the nation has with its neighbours, it is always alarming to hear any news that shots have been fired across the border.
As such, any news claiming this would go viral quickly.
It was claimed recently in a viral video that two Thai nationals fired shots towards the Malaysian border. Is this true?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Yes this is true. Police personnel have arrested two Thai nationals suspected of firing shots near a security checkpoint along the border in Padang Besar, Perlis.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the two men are aged 21 and 28 and were detained by Thai authorities in Songkhla, Thailand, last Friday.
He explained that two General Operations Force personnel on patrol during an Ops Taring Wawasan Kedah and Perlis heard several gunshots near the border security fence coming from the Thai side at 10.28 am on Dec 12,
"The officers immediately took cover and spotted two men riding a motorcycle on Thai territory. No one was injured," he told Bernama on Monday (Dec 16).
Razarudin said closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the scene revealed that the two suspects were riding a grey scooter with Thai registration plates, and stopped their motorcycle, drew an automatic pistol, and fired shots at the Malaysian border.
"The suspects are believed to have fired approximately 10 shots (based on the movement of the weapon), and collected the spent cartridges before leaving the scene," he said.
He added that the findings were shared with the Thai police, who were then able to apprehend the two suspects at two locations in Songkhla, Thailand, at 10.40 am (Malaysian time) the following day.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects had borrowed the weapon from a friend and admitted to firing the shots to test the weapon before returning it to their friend.
Razarudin said Thai police are now actively searching for the suspects' friend, who owns the weapon.
He said that police are continuously enhancing border security and prioritising the safety of officers on duty to effectively address any potential threats.
On Monday a one-minute, 13-second video went viral on social media, showing two men, believed to be Thai nationals, firing several shots towards the Malaysian border.
