A top officer of the Pahang Islamic Religious Departmet (Jaip) was shot dead outside his home in Indera Mahkota 2, Kuantan, this afternoon.

According to Bernama, police sources said Mohd Rafli Ab Malik, 49, who is Jaip's enforcement division chief, died instantly after he was hit by two bullets in the chest.

"Three suspects are believed to be involved in the shooting," the source was quoted as saying, adding that they escaped in a white Proton Wira Aeroback.

Pahang Criminal Investigation Department chief Mohd Zakaria Ahmad said the Mohd Rafli was resting in the living room with his family when the car pulled up in front of the house.

One of the suspects, said to be in his 50s, alighted from the vehicle and asked the victim to come out of his house which he did.

At this point, another suspect said to be in his 30s, rushed out of the back seat of the car and fired three shots at the religious officer with two bullets hitting their target.

"Police believed the suspects had staked out at the place as it took them just a minute to murder the victim," Mohd Zakaria was quoted as saying.

Zakaria said police will investigate all angles to establish the motive of the pre-mediated murder.

Two gun shots heard

Meanwhile, according to a New Straits Times report, neighbours of the victim claimed that the suspects were all dressed in black jubah (robes) and wore kopiah (skull caps).

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that Mohd Raffli is survived by his wife and four children who are aged between 22 and 12.

His wife Roshmahawani Abd Wahab, 41, said that she and her husband were performing house chores when some strangers appeared at the door.

"I heard them exchanging greetings and (my husband) asked them to come in. Then I heard two gun shots and my children screamed that he had been shot," she told reporters at her home.

Rosmahawani said that she is unaware of any threats made against her husband.

"I have asked his colleagues about it too, but they too said there was none," she said.

She was unsure if her husband knew the suspects but believed that she had saw the vehicle in the vicinity over the past few days.

According to Bernama, the deceased is believed to be handling three cases - the Tuhan Harun sect, the Syiah sect and night club raids.