Penang bodyguard who 'went berserk' shot dead boss on first day of work

GEORGE TOWN (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK)- It was his first day at work with his new boss. And it became the last day of his life for the boss, businessman Ong Teik Kwong.

The bodyguard who allegedly shot dead his boss at Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway on Thursday (Dec 2) had only started work that day.

A friend of the late Mr Ong, Jason Mah, said that the 37-year-old bodyguard had been interviewed for the job a day earlier.

"The bodyguard was with a security agency. He has a younger brother who was also working as a bodyguard to Ong.

"The younger brother has been working for Ong for more than a year. He recommended his elder brother to Ong," Mr Mah said at Mr Ong's wake on Friday.

Mr Mah also said he spoke to Mr Ong's 32-year-old friend and business partner Lim Boon Leng, who was in the same car on Thursday. Mr Lim has been remanded.

A source said the bodyguard, said to be mentally unstable, had uttered some prayers before going berserk with his Glock 19mm semi-automatic pistol.

The source said the bodyguard, who was in the back seat, had an argument with Mr Ong, who was driving at the time.

A third person, said to be Ong's driver and business partner, was sitting in the front passenger seat during the 7.30pm incident. He did not drive because he had had too much to drink.

"There was an argument and the bodyguard went berserk. All of sudden, he whipped out his pistol and shot Ong in the head from behind. After that, he hit Ong's driver on the head with the pistol," the source said, although he would not reveal what had triggered the argument.

The driver then ran for his life with the gunman chasing on foot.

"He fired at the driver but missed. The stray bullets hit several innocent passers-by, killing two and injuring four," said the source.

Besides Mr Ong, the two others killed were flower supplier Mr M. Senthil, 38, and entertainer Choi Hon Ming, 32.

Police reached the scene minutes later.

"One of the policemen pointed a gun at the bodyguard, who put down his pistol and surrendered," the source said.

Mr Mah said that Mr Ong's wife Vivian Cheow was distraught over the incident. They had been married for three years.

Another friend of Mr Ong's, Roger Philip Emaung said Mr Ong, Mr Lim and the bodyguard had met with another businessman in Persiaran Karpal Singh before the incident.

"They were heading back to Ong's home on the mainland when the incident happened," he said.

Mr Emuang said Mr Ong was the chairman of the Persatuan Kebajikan Amal CK One, a charitable welfare association to help the underprivileged, homeless and the sick, which was registered this year.

Feed The Poor president Jeremy Asher, 27, said the organisation had worked with the Persatuan Kebajikan Amal CK One to feed the homeless twice a week.

"Ong was really helpful to the needy and he would support our effort each time we approached him for assistance," Mr Asher said.

Mr Ong's funeral service at the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi funeral parlour will be held at 11am on Monday, before the hearse leaves for the Relau Sepuluh Kongsi Chinese Cemetery for burial.