KUALA LUMPUR, July 31- The Kuala Lumpur police do not rule out a business deal that turned sour as a motive in the murder of Arab Malaysia bank founder, Hussain Ahmad Najadi (photo), who was shot at Lorong Ceylon here yesterday.
City police chief Datuk Mohmad Salleh said the matter was however still under investigation and police were gathering information on the incident.
“We believe the shooting was done by a hire killer. The police will call seven witnesses to record their statements,” he told a media conference today.
He said the police would also call the victim’s wife and colleagues who were with him before the shooting to record their statements.
In yesterday’s incident, Hussain was gunned down in cold blood, while his wife, Chong Mei Kuen, was seriously injured when they emerged from the Kuan Yin Temple in Lorong Ceylon this afternoon.
A gunman who crept from behind, fired randomly at Hussain Ahmad, 75, and his 49-year-old wife at close range, killing the renowned banker on the spot near a car park.
The septuagenarian sustained two shots in the chest while his wife was hit in the left hand and right leg in the 2pm incident.
Mohmad said Chong was reported to be in stable condition and police would record her statement soon.
“The suspect is believed a local below the age of 50,” he said, adding that police had viewed the footage of a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) located near the temple to identify the suspect.
He believed the suspect fled in a hired taxi.
Meanwhile, Hussain would be buried after the Isyak prayer today at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery.
The family representative, Datuk Seri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is a close friend of the deceased, told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary, that Hussain’s body would be taken to Federal Territory Mosque for prayer before the burial.
Family members claimed Hussain’s body from the mortuary about 1pm today.
Chong, who was on a wheel-chair and accompanied by 10 relatives and friends, broke down when she went to identify her husband’s body at the morgue.
She was seen escorted by four policemen armed with M-16 rifles.
Muhammad Shafee, who had known Hussain for 25 years, described him as friendly, courteous and helpful.
“He was the first person to donate US$4 million to Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) education fund. The last time I met him was three weeks ago at a breaking of fast,” he added.
He said Chong was still traumatised by the incident and declined to be interviewed.
– BERNAMA
