JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA - Over a dozen robbers stormed into a supermarket and two handphone shops in Pasir Gudang and escaped with RM30,000 in cash and handphones within a minute.

Brandishing parang, they arrived on motorcycles and broke up into three groups in Taman Air Baru at 7pm on Thursday.

At the Jiason Supermarket, the robbers rushed to the cashiers and demanded money.

'They held our cashiers at knife-point. It happened so fast and they escaped within one minute,' said supermarket manager Tiong Foon Kai, 34.

He said the robbers took about RM13,000 of the day's collection.

Nelson Ng, 17, who was behind the counter at one of a handphone shops some 50m away, said seven men came in and broke the glass showcase by stepping on it.

'One of them held me while the others grabbed 20 handphones,' he said, adding that he was lucky not to be harmed.

He estimated the shop's losses at about RM11,000.

At the third shop, a worker who only wanted to be known as Chong said the robbers took 31 handphones and RM2,000 in cash.

'It was over in a minute. The robbers planned it well,' he said.

Pasir Gudang MCA crime prevention squad vice-president Sim Chan Teck hoped police would act quickly to catch the robbers.

Seri Alam OCPD Supt Roslan Zainuddin said police were tracking down one of the suspects who had a record of drug-related offences.

'We have not ruled out the possibility that they were under the influence of drugs and responsible for other robberies,' he said.

Anyone with information can call 07-221 2999 or the nearest police station.