1993: BENTONG KALI

On 29 June 1993, one of Malaysia's most notorious criminal chapters came to a violent end. P. Kalimuthu, better known as Bentong Kali, was shot dead by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in a dawn raid.

Here is a breakdown of the events and the man who terrorized the nation:

The Final Showdown (Medan Damansara)

After a massive manhunt known as Ops Buncit, which involved over 200 police personnel and a RM100,000 bounty, the police tracked Bentong Kali to a double-story terraced house in Medan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

• The Raid: At approximately 6:30 AM, an elite team from the Special Actions Unit (UTK) surrounded the hideout.
• The Firefight: A fierce shootout ensued when Bentong Kali and his accomplices refused to surrender.
• The Outcome: Bentong Kali was killed by a gunshot to the head. Two of his close lieutenants, S. Gunalan (Billiard) and T. Gunasegaran (Raub Guna), were also killed at the scene.

Who was Bentong Kali?

Born in Bentong, Pahang, Kalimuthu rose to infamy as a "trigger-happy" gangster who led Gang 04 (and later Gang 08). He was known for his extreme volatility and lack of remorse.

• The Death Toll: He was officially implicated in at least 17 murders, though the actual number is believed by some to be higher.
• His Reputation: Unlike typical organized crime leaders who killed for business, Kali was known to kill for minor slights. He once famously crashed a child's birthday party and opened fire on the guests over a previous dispute.
• The Signature: He often used a German-made SIG Sauer P226 semi-automatic pistol. He was so bold that he reportedly called Tan Sri Zaman Khan (the CID Director at the time) to mock the police and challenge them to catch him.

Legacy and Modern Context

Bentong Kali remains a polarizing figure in Malaysian crime history. While most remember him as a ruthless killer who terrorized Kuala Lumpur, some within his local community tell stories of a "Robin Hood" figure who provided financial help to those in need.

His life and death were later chronicled in the book The Story of Bentong Kali: Crime and Society in 90s Kuala Lumpur by journalist Suganthi Suparmaniam.

OPS BUNCIT

Ops Buncit was the code name for the massive police manhunt launched in June 1993 to capture or neutralize P. Kalimuthu, better known as Bentong Kali.

By early 1993, Kalimuthu had become Malaysia's "Public Enemy No. 1," leaving a trail of at least 16 to 17 bodies in his wake. The operation was a direct response to his escalating violence and his brazen defiance of the law.

1. The Scale of the Operation

The operation was unprecedented in its scale and urgency for a single criminal:

• Personnel: Over 200 police officers from the Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Pahang police contingents were mobilized.
• Command: It was overseen by the legendary CID Director, Tan Sri Zaman Khan, who took the case personally after Bentong Kali reportedly called him to taunt the police and issue death threats.
• Bounty: A reward of RM100,000 was placed on his head, a massive sum at the time.
• Publicity: For the first time, police saturated the country with "Wanted" posters, distributing them not just in Malaysia but also across the border into Thailand.

2. The Turning Point

The catalyst that turned the manhunt into an "all-out" war was a series of ruthless killings in early June 1993:

• The Birthday Party Massacre: Kali and his gang crashed a child’s birthday party in a flat in Balakong. They opened fire on the crowd simply because someone had previously confronted Kali for urinating in public. Four people died.
• Point-Blank Execution: He shot a stall owner, Abdul Samad Abdul Hamid, in cold blood when he couldn't find a rival he was looking for.

3. Intelligence and Tactics

The police used "Intelligence Led Policing" to tighten the net. A breakthrough occurred during a raid on a drug lab in Taming Jaya, where Kali narrowly escaped but left behind his passport. This allowed the police to see that he had surgically altered his appearance and grown a mustache to evade detection.

4. The Conclusion

The operation reached its climax on 29 June 1993. Based on a tip-off, the Special Actions Unit (UTK) and CID officers surrounded a house in Medan Damansara.

• The Standoff: Despite being surrounded, Kali and his two lieutenants (Billiard and Raub Guna) chose to fight.
• The Fatal Shot: Legend has it that Kali was attempting to escape through a balcony or rooftop when he was neutralized by a police sharpshooter.

Legacy of Ops Buncit

The success of the operation significantly boosted the reputation of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and cemented Tan Sri Zaman Khan's status as a "super cop." It also led to more aggressive tactics against the "Gang 04" and "Gang 08" triads that Kali had led.

Google Gemini AI

19 January 2026: 8.37 p.m