JOHOR BAHRU — A total of 13 suspects have been arrested in connection with Sunday's brutal murder of an alleged gang leader at a Johor petrol kisok, including seven who were nabbed across the Causeway with the help of Singapore's authorities, the Johor police chief said on Thursday (Dec 21). 

Johor police chief Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said the 13 suspects were between the ages of 16 and 26, and included four women.

"Seven of those detained – including three women – were arrested in Singapore on Wednesday (Dec 20) with the help of the Singapore Police Force," The Star quoted Mr Mohd Khalil as saying.

He added that the police are identifying more suspects to assist in the investigation. 

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it had received a request for assistance from Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) regarding the incident.

"The SPF had arrested a total of seven Malaysian suspects, aged between 19 and 23, and they have been handed over to RMP on Dec 21 to aid in investigations," it said, adding that it was inappropriate to comment further as investigations by the Malaysian side are ongoing.  

According to The Malay Mail, at least two of the men caught in Singapore are considered main suspects in the murder of 44-year-old Tan Aik Chai.

Earlier on Thursday, four men in their 20s were arrested by police in several locations in south Johor over the murder which had shocked many on both sides of the Causeway. 

This came after a couple was arrested at a hotel in Butterworth, Penang, on Wednesday.

These six suspects were presented to the Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and a seven-day remand order was granted to the police.

Malaysia’s national police chief Mohd Fuzi Harun said the couple picked up in Penang - a 19- year old woman and a 22-year old man - was believed to have strong links to the killing.

He said police at this point have not ruled out the duo as being the masterminds.

“We are yet to establish this. However, with the lead we have so far, we are confident to make a breakthrough soon,” he said.

Malaysian police have launched a manhunt for four perpetrators who were recorded on video to have stabbed and run over Tan at a Shell petrol station in Taman Pelangi on Sunday.

Tan had just parked his Volkswagen Polo at the petrol station and was inflating his car’s tyres when he was stopped by several men in a white BMW 520d.

One of the suspects had tried to pull the victim into their car but the latter put up a fight.

Eyewitnesses then saw the men assaulting Tan and stabbing him with a sharp object, which caused him to collapse on the compound of the petrol station.

After Tan was stabbed, the suspects threw an explosive device, believed to be a firecracker, at him before re-entering their vehicle.

They then ran over his body twice before fleeing the scene.

Tan subsequently died due to head and body injuries. His female companion, a Vietnamese national in her 20s, claimed his body from the Sultan Ismail Hospital mortuary on Monday afternoon. He was buried in Malacca.

Video footage of the brutal murder has been circulated on social media and prompted an outcry from Malaysians.

Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Tuesday that a dispute over a drug deal between two triads was behind the murder, adding that Tan is believed to have been the leader of a secret society.

He was known in the underworld circles as “Ah Chiu” and believed to have conflicts with several members of a Johor Baru-based rival drug gang.

Police also said Tan, who was born in Malacca and had a listed address at Simpang Renggam, Johor, had a long list of drug-related offences over the past 13 years with 18 cases. AGENCIES