Triad war caused the recent murder of a man at a petrol station in Johor Bahru, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

The Star Online reported Zahid, who is also the home minister, saying that the deceased, known as Ah Chiu, is believed to be the leader of an underworld organisation. 

"Police have zeroed in on the reason and have identified the four assailants. A manhunt has been launched to nab the suspects," Zahid was quoted saying after attending the Home Ministry's monthly assembly this morning. 

According to Zahid (photo), the cops are in the midst of determining the areas in which the two warring triads are operating and whether they are competing for business or territory. The police are also on the lookout for retaliatory attacks by the victim's gang, he added. 

Earlier, The Star also reported that the 44-year-old victim may have been the target of bounty hunters. 

The report, quoting Chinese media reports, said that there was a price of RM23,888 for information on Ah Chiu, and a reward of RM32,888 to bring him in. 

Police are now on the hunt for the four men in a white BMW, bearing the fake number plate WB79L, seen at the scene of the attack at a petrol station along Jalan Sri Pelangi in Johor Bahru, about 7.30pm on Sunday.  

The victim had alighted from his Volkswagen Polo to check on his tyres when he was attacked by the four men, who had tried to bundle him into their BMW. 

When the victim put up a struggle, he was reportedly stabbed in the chest, before being run over twice by the assailants. The suspects also threw some firecrackers before fleeing the scene. 

A video of the attack was uploaded to Facebook and has since gone viral. 

Police have confirmed that the post-mortem report showed that the man's cause of death is a stab wound to the heart. 

Meanwhile, Bernama reported deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim (photo) saying that police have set up a special squad to arrest the suspects involved in the murder. 

According to him, the deceased had previous criminal records. 

"It is needless for me to comment on a dead man. He had been involved in several cases," Noor Rashid was quoted saying after attending a function in Putrajaya today. 

According to him, the murder could be tied to money-lending activities, and possibly territorial control.