Verbal bullets have been ricocheting all over the place after the home minister made the controversial "shoot first" remark.

Joining the exchange, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar fired a series of tweets, denying that his personnel are fond of squeezing the trigger.

"We are no cowboys, we don't purposely take people's lives. We only shoot in defence of our own lives. Just to make you all safer," he said.

Stressing that the police are colour-blind when dealing with crime, Khalid pointed out that police personnel have little choice when caught in a shootout.

NONE"Faced with the risk of being killed, we still take the risk. Just to make you safer," he added.

Responding to a tweet which mentioned PKR vice-president N Surendran's remarks on the fatal shooting of five suspected criminals in Penang, Khalid trained his guns on the opposition MP.

"Some people are just 'big mouthed'. Buat kerja dia bising, tak buat kerja lagi dia bising. Kita jangan pedulikan mereka ini (When we do our work, they make noise, when we don’t do our work, they make noise, just ignore them)," he said.

Despite the criticism, Khalid said the police would continue executing its duties to ensure that Malaysia is safe.

Bernama reported that he was commenting on a Malaysiakini news portal report regarding Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement on the police action of shooting criminals due to security reasons.  

   

Khalid emphasised that police would not resort to shooting if it did not pose a life threatening scenario. 

Surendran had accused Zahid of admitting that the five slain in Penang were executed.

Pointing out that the minister's statement contradicted with that of the IGP's, who claimed that the five lost their lives when the police returned fire after being shot at, the PKR leader wanted both Zahid and Khalid to be investigated.

Zahid, on the other hand, denied calling for extrajudicial killings and has been emptying his magazines on Malaysiakini for reporting the remarks made during a security briefing in Malacca last week.

Related stories

Zahid's latest bullet: Warning shots not part of police SOP

Minister: I never said Tiga Line were 'our people'

Zahid needs a tutorial in journalism

Zaid raps those afraid to offend 'potential PM'

'Zahid contradicts IGP, admits Penang 5 executed'

'Shoot first' only with clear evidence, says CID chief

10 robbers die in shootouts in three days

MP dares police to charge him over Zahid's remark

Four foreigners shot dead after robbery at VVIP's house

Shahidan must be snoozing during Zahid's rants