KUALA TERENGGANU: Police have received new leads in their investigation into the murder of former Alor Limbat state assemblyman Alias Abdullah.
Alias, 51, a two-term State Assemblyman for Alur Limbat, was shot dead at point-blank range in the kitchen of his house in Bukit Payung on Oct 9, 2015.
State police Chief Datuk Rosli Ab Rahman described the murder case as "too complicated", because the initial probe revealed the involvement of a hired killer.
Rosli said the investigation is now at the stage of identifying the mastermind, and police suspect the killers could also be involved with the murder of Alias' cousin, Mat Jusoh Ali, 56, in Aug 2015.
"We believe both incidents are related. The murderers could be from the same group. The motive for the murder may be related to debt," he told reporters at the Kuala Terengganu Police Contingent here today.
Rosli dismissed speculation that Alias' murder was politically-motivated, as the investigation revealed that the case was related to his business.
On Oct 9, Alias was shot in the head by a gunman in his house after returning home from Friday prayers.
He was rushed by neighbours to the Bukit Payong clinic, where he was pronounced dead. His wife, Noreha Mohamad, his son and a maid were at home when the incident occurred at 2.30pm.
Alias, a practising lawyer, was killed exactly two months after his cousin Mat Jusoh was killed in a similar manner in Kampung Padang Midin, Kuala Terengganu.
Both Alias and Mat Jusoh were shot once in the head with a revolver and the modus operandi suggests that the murder was carried out by someone who is highly professional in handling firearms.