The police have confirmed that a suspect who gunned down the Pahang Islamic Religious Council (Jaip) enforcement chief last month, was one of 15 followers of the 'Tuhan Harun' deviant sect arrested in several raids recently.

In fact, the result of ballistics test done on the pistol seized from the man also proved it was the weapon used in the killing, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the 25th Malaysian Auxiliary Police Annual Assembly here today.

On Nov 10, Jaip enforcement chief Mohd Raffli Abdul Malik, 49, was shot dead by one of three men who came a-calling at his house in Indera Mahkota 2, Kuantan, Pahang.

Meanwhile, Khalid said only 19,980 out of the 42,744 vacancies in the auxiliary police service had been filled, so far.

"Statistics show that there are 157 agencies, comprising 25 government agencies, 25 statutory bodies, 35 government-linked companies, 65 private companies, three local authorities, three public institutions of higher learning and one private college, which govern the operations of auxiliary police.

"Since there are many more vacancies in the service, I suggest that all auxiliary police agencies optimise recruitment of members," he said, adding that auxiliary police played a significant role in alleviating the burden of the Royal Malaysian Police in protecting their employer's interests, lives and properties, as well as maintaining public order in their respective areas.