By Nasuha Badrul Huzaini
SHAH ALAM, July 8 — Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari has extended his condolences over the passing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe who was shot twice while delivering a speech in the western city of Nara.
“My sincerest condolences to the Abe family, the people of Japan, as well as Japanese nationals living in Selangor on the passing of former PM Shinzo Abe at this most difficult time after he fell victim to this shocking act of violence earlier today,” he said on Twitter.
Abe was shot twice when he was delivering a speech in the western city of Nara, at around 11.30am local time today by an unidentified man with a gun, Xinhua news agency reported local police and firefighters said.
He speaking in front of Kintetsu Railway’s Yamato-Saidaiji Station ahead of Sunday’s upper house election, when he fell to the ground after the second shot rang out, according to the police.
Abe, 67, was rushed to the Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara City and showed no vital signs, according to the local police and emergency services.
The Nara City Fire Department confirmed that the former Japanese PM was in cardio-pulmonary arrest before being taken to hospital.
Abe became Japan’s longest-serving leader who served as the prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
He stepped down in September 2020 due to a relapse of chronic intestinal disease.
