Police: Murder with firearms doubled after EO repeal

The number of murders and attempted murders using firearms has more than doubled after the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and Restricted Residence Act (RRA), based on police data. 

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department chief Hadi Ho Abdullah revealed the data at an event on Aug 24, in the wake of almost-daily shootings over the past month. 

In the 18 months before the repeal - from June 21, 2010 to Dec 21, 2011 - 57 people were murdered using firearms, the statistics show. 

This jumped by 103.5 percent to 116 murders using firearms over the 18 months from the repeal - from Dec 22, 2011 to June 26, 2013. 

Similarly, there were 31 attempted murders using firearms in the 18 months before the repeal, but this more than doubled to 63 cases in the 18 months from the repeal.

In comparison, the incidence of murders and attempted murders without firearms rose by about 20 percent over the same period. 

Police statistics also show that, although the crime rate in general went down, the incidence of violent crimes rose over the same period. 

As a whole, cases of murder, attempted murder, gang robbery without firearms, extortion, rioting and criminal intimidation rose by 5 percent over the same period. 

Profile of detainees

The police also said 87 percent of the EO detainees and individuals placed under the RRA were then aged between 18 and 45. 

Of the 4,763 individuals, 1,812 (or 38 percent) were Malays. Indian Malaysians accounted for 33 percent and Chinese Malaysians for 22.5 percent of the detainees. 

The police had earlier said that 71 percent of gang-members are Indian Malaysians.

Responding to calls for the return of the EO, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail at the same event said there is no evidence to show that former EO detainees are behind the spike in crimes involving firearms.

He said that police statistics show that only 263 of the 1,567 detainees released upon the repeal of the Act have committed crime since then.