By M. Sivanantha Sharma

KULIM, MALAYSIA - Four armed robbers were gunned down as they charged at the police with a pistol and parang after being cornered following a 30-minute car chase.

The four were identified as M. Jayasilan, 29, from Alor Setar, R. Rames, 20, from Sungai Petani, S. Sundrakanapathi, 26, from Batu Caves and S. Suresa, 27, from Kepala Batas.

They are believed to be involved in 41 cases.

Kedah police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said the four were first spotted in a Proton Waja in Bukit Kukus near here at 9am.

"They were no longer there when a patrol car arrived," he told a press conference at the Kulim district police headquarters yesterday.

"We searched around and spotted the car outside a house in Taman Kulim Technology Park nearby. One of the robbers, who was wearing a ski mask, saw the patrol car and rushed back to the car and drove off.

"They sped off towards Paya Keladi with the patrol car in hot pursuit. We chased them for 30 minutes, ending up at a dead-end road in Bukit Kukus."

DCP Syed Ismail said the four defied police warnings to surrender, adding that one of them opened fire at the police party while the three others ran towards the policemen each with a parang in hand.

"My men were forced to fire at them in self-defence. All four were killed on the spot," DCP Syed Ismail added.

He said police found a Browning Star 9mm pistol loaded with five bullets, another two bullets, three parang, two knives, four ski-masks, four full-face helmets and a bag of clothes in the car.

He added that Jayasilan had been released from Pokok Sena prison in 2007, Rames from the Sungai Petani prison in April, and Sundrakanapathi from Alor Setar prison in February.

Police believe the suspects were responsible for several robbery cases, and house and factory break-ins here and in nearby districts.

--The Star/ANN