A MAN who had survived two attempts on his life – once in 2012 and the other in 2014 – was finally gunned down in a hail of bullets as he was having lunch at a cafe in Lorong Pelawan in Sibu, Sarawak, this afternoon.

A male friend who was with him was also targeted and killed, while his female companion escaped unscathed.

The Borneo Post reported that a lone gunman, “wearing a helmet, clad in a red jacket”, whipped out a handgun and fired several shots at the two men from a distance of about 5m.

The gunman reportedly made his getaway on a motorcycle parked nearby.

The paper reported the two victims only as “prominent businessmen” aged 47 and 21, but news portal Sarawak Edition identified them as Lau Ngik Yin, from Jalan Tekam, and Loh Lik Siong, from the riverine town of Song, a few kilometres up Sungai Rajang.

In Sibu, Lau is better know by his nickname “Ah Kang”.

Police have yet to make a statement on the killings.

Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department chief Dev Kumar said it was too early to disclose details on the case as the scene was still being processed.

He said a statement would be issued to the media later.

In November 2012, Lau survived the first attempt on his life. However, his wife was killed in the shotgun attack.

Lau and his wife were having lunch at the back of a coffee shop in Pahlawan when the incident happened.

The second attempt took place in September 2014, when Lau was having lunch with a friend at another coffee shop in the same area

In the 1.15pm incident, Lau and his friend were injured when a shot was fired in their direction from a passing car.

A pellet hit one of Lau’s fingers, while his friend sustained non-life-threatening facial wounds.

One of Lau’s three bodyguards fired back at the car, but no action was taken against him as police said he was licensed to carry firearms and the handgun was licensed. – October 5, 2017.