Four Chinese injured in Malaysia grenade attack

One person was killed and 13 others wounded in a grenade explosion in front of an entertainment outlet in Kuala Lumpur early on Thursday, with four Chinese women among the victims.

An official at the Chinese embassy confirmed that four female Chinese citizens were injured in the explosion, and all were hospitalized.

"Their injuries were not very serious," the diplomat added.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak said after the explosion that lawlessness won't be tolerated.

A senior police official, who declined to be named as he wasn't authorized to speak to the media, said the pre-dawn explosion in the Bukit Bintang area was believed to be due to a gang fight and was not a terrorist act.

Najib condemned the violence, which is uncommon in Malaysia, and warned of stern action.

"Such lawlessness will not be tolerated," Najib said in a statement.

"The police investigation is under way, and the perpetrators of this crime will be found and brought to justice," he said.

One of the victims, believed to be a jockey, died from serious injuries, local English-language newspaper New Straits Times said, quoting Khairy Ahrasa, the police criminal investigation department's deputy chief assistant commissioner.

It was believed that a hand grenade was thrown from the second floor of a building and exploded at the scene, while another grenade, which failed to go off, was recovered under a car by police and detonated by the bomb disposal squad.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called on the public to stay calm, saying that the police were investigating the incident.

An AFP reporter saw a heavily damaged minivan at the scene of the incident, which was roped off by heavy police presence.

Such incidents are rare in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

But concern has been growing over the potential for militant violence after authorities have said scores of Malaysians are believed to have gone to join the civil conflict in Syria.

Security officials have expressed fear such recruits could become radicalized there by the Islamic State group, importing their extremist views after returning home or inspiring violent anti-Western attacks by supporters in Malaysia, where a moderate brand of Islam prevails.

Police said in August they had arrested 19 people in an amateurish plot to carry out a wave of Islamic State-inspired bombings in Malaysia.

Xinhua - AP - AFP

(China Daily 10/10/2014 page11)