Police shot dead two men believed to be members of the notorious 'Mamak Gang' who atempted to attack them following a high-speed chase in Jalan Tanjung Rambutan-Tanah Hitam, Chemor, near Ipoh, yesterday.          

Acting Perak police chief, Hasnan Hassan said the duo, dubbed 'Misai' and 'Ganesh', aged between 30 and 50, were gunned down about 9.30pm during a patrol conducted by the Bukit Aman (federal police) Serious Crimes Division, and Perak and Penang Criminal Investigation Department personnel.         

He said the team initially spotted the suspects, who were behaving in a suspicious manner, in a Toyota Vios car in Tanjung Rambutan.       

"The police tried to stop the car but it sped off along Jalan Tanjung Rambutan-Tanah Hitam.      

"As the car reached a bend, police managed to intercept the vehicle... the driver had attempted to ram into the police car but the (Toyota Vios) car skidded," he told a press conference today.       

Hasnan said the driver then fired four shots while his accomplice alighted from the vehicle and tried to attack the police with a machete.    

"At this juncture, the police had to shoot," he said, adding that no policeman was injured in the incident.    

Hasnan said the seized items included a pistol, machete, axe, gloves, police vest and the Toyota Vios which was reportedly stolen in Taiping.     

No identification documents were found on the suspects and the investigation revealed that the duo was planning on a robbery spree in Tanjung Rambutan, he said.   

Hasnan said the gang had been allegedly involved in 28 robbery cases in six states, namely Perak (two cases), Selangor (six), Malacca (one), Kedah (one), Negri Sembilan (six) and Penang (12).   

Police were now closing in on the remaining gang members who had been active in committing robbery and house break-ins, and hurting victims over the past 20 years, he added.

- Bernama