Responding to a tap on the car window at a traffic intersection in Kuala Terengganu yesterday, deputy public prosecutor Zalina Awang found herself staring into the nozzle of a pistol.

She froze momentarily as a motorcyclist, believed to be in his 50s, pointed a Walther pistol at her as she stopped for the lights at the Jalan Sultan Ismail intersection about 11am.

As the lights turned green, a shocked Zalina, 39, who was on her way to a shop with her 14-year-old daughter, accelerated and drove towards Jalan Syed Husin with the gunman on her tail.

She then stopped the car in front of the Kuala Terengganu City Council bus station, but the man was nowhere in sight.

Zalina then drove straight to her office and then lodged a report at the Kuala Terengganu district police headquarters about 2pm.

Terengganu police chief Jamshah Mustapa said today police suspected it to be a form of threat in view of Zalina's job as a deputy public prosecutor and her handling of criminal and high-profile cases.

"We will leave no stone unturned in our investigations to trace the culprit," Jamshah said.

He appealed to eye-witnesses to contact the Kuala Terengganu district police headquarters at 09-632 2222 or the investigating officer, ASP Abdul Malik Mehat, at 019-413 5595 to assist in the investigations.

- Bernama