The two remaining fugitives sought by the police have been detected using a public telephone in Taman Chai Leng, Perai yesterday afternoon.

"They know that if they use their mobile phones, we can track them and follow their movements," said Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi.

He said the manhunt for Hamzani Harun, 37, and Hisham Abdul Rahman, 39, had been extended to northern Perak.

"This is to ensure that they cannot go further, but I believe they are still in Permatang Pauh as we know that they are still on foot," he told reporters after visiting the Sekolah Kebangsaan Pauh Jaya at Bukit Mertajam today.

azlan Abdul Rahim said the police had learnt that the two fugitives no longer received any help from their friends as they came out of their hideout and sought public assistance.     

The duo were among the nine convicts from the Penang prison who escaped after assaulting and forcing four police escorts out of the van they were being ferried in, en route to the Butterworth courthouse on Jan 7.

Subsequently, two detainees were re-arrested near the van which was found abandoned at Kampung Padang Chempedak in Bukit Mertajam.

On Thursday, two others were gunned down near the area at Kampung Padang Ibu.

On Saturday, one of the fugitives was detained at a food stall in Kampung Petani, Kubang Semang at 9pm, while another surrendered himself at the Penanti Market at 10pm.

The fifth fugitive was nabbed at an Internet cafe in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim said the police were preparing investigation papers on the four police escorts involved and that the case was being investigated under Section 223 of the Penal Code for negligence.

- Bernama