ARMED: Two hurt, vehicles and outlets damaged
PASIR GUDANG: They came in a fast and furious manner in a show of force and left a mess in their wake.
This was after a gang of 100 youths rampaged through several areas here on Saturday, damaging cars and motorcycles as well as threatening all those they come across.
Astride on motorcycles, the youths, believed to be between 16 and 25, came armed with Samurai swords, metal pipes, parang and sticks.
They inflicted damage on a fast-food outlet, a mamak restaurant and the Umno Perjiranan 9 operations centre, all in Taman Air Biru near here.
It also saw two men injured and a handphone snatched.
Syed Hussein Syed Abdullah, 52, said there were about 20 residents, mostly youths, at the Umno Perjiranan 9 operations centre, gathered to watch the Johor Darul Takzim versus Selangor PKNS match on television.
"We had moved our 39-inch television screen outside, so that more people could watch the game together. We were into the second half of the game.
"About 10.15pm, we saw a motorcycle convoy approaching. At first we thought nothing of it. There were about 50 motorcycles of various models, and each motorcycle had a rider and a pillion.
"Then someone, believed to be the leader, shouted 'Berhenti' (Stop!) and we saw someone fire a flare, which was believed to be from a flare gun, towards us, before we heard someone ordered 'Serang' (Attack!)," Syed Hussein said.
"Only the pillion riders got off the motorcycles. Most of them were wearing full-face helmets.
"One of them warned me not to do anything. At that time, I stood there very calmly.
"I knew that if I had retaliated or provoked them, they would not hesitate to hurt me.
"All I know was that the incident happened very fast. I would say about three minutes. All the youths had fled. I can't blame them as the gang was very aggressive and they seemed to be targeting the youths."
The gang then broke the windscreens and side windows of a Perodua Alza and a Perodua MyVi. They also caused damage to four motorcycles and made off with two motorcycles, which were found about five hours later nearby inside a drain.
The gang's trail of terror did not end there, as it made its way to a mamak restaurant nearby and it caused damage to the tables outside the restaurant as well as vehicles parked outside.
Miswan Suleiman, 46, who was having a drink and watching a football match outside the restaurant in Jalan 9/17, said his Proton Wira was damaged by the youths.
"No one stayed around to see the licence plate numbers as most of them were armed, and they seemed so threatening," Miswan said, adding that the patrons fled in fear, only to come back to the scene to find their vehicles smashed.
The gang then headed for a Marrybrown Restaurant.
A woman, who only wanted to be known as Yati, 32, said it was near closing time at 11pm, and she was inside with her family when the gang came by.
"There were a group of young women outside the restaurant and one of them was talking on the handphone. The gang put a parang to her neck and snatched the handphone."
"I was with my kids at the time and I was worried for my children's safety. Even after the gang had left, I was still trembling."
Meanwhile, Khairul Aizad Sulaiman, 25, crossed the path of the gang when he was going to Taman Bukit Dahlia, also here, from his house in Taman Air Biru.
"It was about 10.45pm, and I had just picked up a friend on my motorcycle.
"I didn't even know any of the gang members, but because I happened to encounter them, they slashed me on my arm and hit my friend on his back.
"I received two stitches and now I'm terrified of going out at night."
Seri Alam police chief Superintendent Roslan Zainuddin said a total of 19 reports were lodged at the Pasir Gudang and Bandar Seri Alam police stations.
He said police have picked up a suspect, and declined to reveal further as he said the case was under investigation under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting.
The motive for the attack could not be established.