KUALA LUMPUR:The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have expressed their condolences to the family members of General Operations Force (GOF) personnel Corporal Baharuddin Ramli, who was killed in a shootout with smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border yesterday.

According to a statement uploaded on the Istana Negara Facebook page, Their Majesties also expressed their sadness over Baharuddin’s passing and hoped that his family would remain patient and resilient during this difficult time.

“Their Majesties highly appreciate the services of the late (Baharuddin) to the community and country.

“Their Majesties also described his passing as a great loss for the GOF and the country,” read the statement.

Baharuddin, 54, was killed while Corporal Norihan a/l Tari was critically wounded in a shootout with a group of smugglers about 600 meters from the Border Wall TS9 control post in Padang Besar, Perlis early yesterday morning.

Baharuddin, of the 3rd Battalion (Senoi Praaq), Northern Brigade of the GOF, was shot in the left side of the abdomen and died at the scene while Norihan, who was shot three times in his ribs and stomach, is under treatment at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar.

-- BERNAMA