The Penang Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department claims that one of its officers, who drew flak for pulling out a gun during a raid on a watch shop, was merely trying to protect himself and his colleagues from an angry mob.

Department director Fahmi Kassim said the officer, identified as Mohd Zabidi Hassan, 48, had no option but to draw his gun when the four enforcement officers were surrounded by some 30 people.

"The mob was shouting and threatening the officers. The officer was forced to draw out his gun to defend himself and his colleagues before retreating back to their vehicle parked nearby," he added when asked to comment on the incident.

However, shop owner Goh Choon Ghee, 32, had earlier claimed that Zabidi pointed the gun at him without any provocation when the enforcement team raided the premises in Batu Feringghi last Saturday.

His mother, Loo Cheng Sim, 53, told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that she thought the officer was going to kill her son.

She claimed that the enforcement officers did not produce any authority cards when raiding the shop.

Eye-witnesses also told how they had thought a robbery was in progress and added that Zabidi had allegedly pointed the gun at the crowd of curious onlookers when retreating to their vehicle.

It is said that the enforcement office was caught by surprise when Goh started snapping photos of him with the gun using his mobile phone. The officer then apparently tried to hide the weapon.

The photo was produced at a the news conference held at the Penang DAP headquarters on Tuesday.

DAP slammed

Goh, who lodged a police report on the incident, was arrested on the same day based on a report lodged by the officer, who claimed the former had tried to attack him.

The trader was released on police bail the next day.

Meanwhile, state Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairperson Lau Chiek Tuan hit out at the DAP for politicising the issue by highligting the incident to the press.

"The DAP can lodge a complaint about the incident to the relevant authorities. But the party should not stoop so low to gain political mileage," he told a press conference.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer.