Owners found renting out firearms face capital punishment

Owners of firearms with licences have been reminded to not lease or rent their firearms because offenders can be sentenced to death if firearms registered under their name was used for criminal activities. Kuala Lumpur Serious Crime Investigation Division (D9) Supt Yahya Abdul Rahman said action can be taken against those involved in such offences. "If firearms are used for extortion, robbery, preventing police from carrying out their duties, kidnapping or breaking into houses, they can be sentenced to death," he told Bernama when asked to comment on reports that owners of firearms are renting out their guns to criminals. Those in possession of firearms without a licence can be sentenced to 14 years jail or rotan if convicted, he said. Yesterday, police busted a rent-gun gang and detained two men, including a 15-year-old teenager in Kelantan, on suspicion of renting out firearms. Kelantan police chief Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman had said that police had also seized two pistols, a Colt Super Automatic .22 calibre Magnum, a French-made Modele Mikros and a fake Baby 111-CAPA 3.8 model pistol from the suspects. It was reported that firearms could be rented for prices ranging from RM500 to RM1,000.