BESUT: A man, 38, was arrested by police after his friend, 32, was shot and seriously injured while hunting in the forest near Rasil in Keruak, Hulu Besut, near here early yesterday morning.
Besut District police chief Superintendent Abdul Rozak Muhammad said the suspect was believed to have shot the victim between 12 midnight and 1am when they were out hunting deer in the forest.
"Preliminary investigations found that the two were good friends, who entered the forest with a shotgun to hunt deer.
"During their journey home, the suspect is believed to have pulled the trigger of a gun, which was filled with pellets, causing them to hit the victim, who was behind the suspect," he said in a statement today.
He said this resulted in the victim, a labourer ,to sustain injuries in the chest, neck, arm and stomach.
Rozak said police received a report about a man who had been shot and was receiving treatment at Besut Hospital about 2am on the day of the incident.
"The victim was referred to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for treatment. He is in stable condition."
Following the incident, he said, the suspect, a self-employed man, was arrested, adding that police seized what appeared to be a homemade shotgun.
Rozak said the suspect tested negative for drugs and was remanded for four days until Wednesday to assist the investigation.
"The case is being investigated under Section 37 of the Arms Act 1960 for causing injury with a weapon without a valid reason.
"If convicted, the offender can be jailed for up to two years or fined not more than RM5,000," he said.
He said the case was also investigated under Section 8 of the same act for possessing a weapon without a permit, which provides for a prison sentence of up to seven years or a maximum fine of RM10,000 or both.
He advised the public not to buy, use, or possess guns, whether they are homemade or genuine firearms, without a permit.
