JOHOR BARU, Malaysia: A 19-year-old sitting for his STPM examination was detained after a two-hour car chase with the police.

The suspect had earlier sped away from a roadblock set up by Seri Alam police in Taman Redang here on Wednesday.

Several policemen gave chase and managed to corner the suspect at Kampung Melayu Pandan, some 5km away.

But just as police were about to arrest him, the suspect rammed his car against a policeman, who suffered light injuries.

Other policemen then fired two shots at the vehicle's tyres but the suspect managed to drive off.

The chase then continued to Taman Seri Amar where police finally cornered the suspect.

He surrendered after two more shots were fired.

Johor deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said that police seized a packet filled with four "pil kuda", and three Eramin-5 pills from the car.

"We are investigating the case as attempted murder under Section 307 of the Penal Code.

"The suspect was released on bail on Friday to allow him to sit for his STPM examination," he told a press conference at the state police headquarters here yesterday.

In an unrelated incident, 37 suspects, including 10 women, were detained in a swoop on an illegal gambling syndicate operating at a shophouse.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a shophouse in Taman Pelangi on Friday as the suspects were playing cards.

Police also seized cash worth RM122,480 and $S72 (RM172) from the premises.

SAC I Tun Hisan said the syndicate would operate from different shophouses every day.