Rompin: A 62-year-old man died from a suspected gunshot wound caused by a homemade firearm while hunting with friends in the Tebu Hitam forest area, Rompin, last Sunday. Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the police received a report on the incident the same day. The victim was reportedly hunting with six friends when the incident occurred.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the homemade firearm is believed to have exploded, injuring the man’s finger before hitting the right side of his chest. Yahaya stated in a statement last night that the post-mortem conducted at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital confirmed the cause of death as a gunshot injury to the chest, and the case has been classified as a sudden death report (SDR).

Meanwhile, Yahaya mentioned that police have arrested six men, including an Orang Asli, aged between 35 and 67, on suspicion of involvement in illegal hunting activities. Authorities also seized, among other things, five homemade firearms and a Benelli Armi-Urbino shotgun.

Further investigations are ongoing under Section 8 of the Arms Act 1960, and Yahaya stressed that the police will not compromise with anyone found in possession of homemade firearms or firearms without a valid licence. He urged anyone in possession of homemade or unlicensed firearms to surrender them to the authorities immediately, or face legal action.