Malaysia opposition lawmaker killed
June 21, 2016
Bill Kayong, 43, a member of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party, PKR)), was shot dead while stopped at traffic lights in the small city of Miri in the state of Sarawak, Malaysian police said on Tuesday.
The head of criminal investigations for Sarawak, Dev Kumar, said Kayong was "shot dead by an unknown person using a shotgun."
He promised a thorough investigation into the killing, and advised against speculation about the possible motive.
Land rights
Kayong was a member of one of the many indigenous tribes in Sarawak, which is located in the north of the island of Borneo. He was known for his activities in fighting on behalf of tribal groups who have been resisting logging, the growth of palm-oil estates and the use of their traditional lands for hydroelectric projects.
Kayong was also political secretary to the Miri PKR chief Dr. Michael Teoh.
On May 7, Kayong failed in his bid to obtain a seat in the Sarawak state assembly.
Malaysia's ruling coalition won last month's state polls in a landslide victory. The opposition and independent analysts have said the elections were marred by government handouts to voters and gerrymandering to the coalition's advantage.