An official of the Malayan Racing Association (MRA) and his wife were assaulted and slashed by three parang-wielding men at the couple’s condominium here.
The attack took place while MRA chief stipendiary steward Mark Hill and his wife were waiting for a lift at their guarded Desa Casa condominium at about 10.45am yesterday.
Fellow residents who saw the attack on the couple, both in their 50s, reportedly fled to hide in their homes.
The attackers, wearing crash helmets, punched Hill in the face and slashed his legs. They also punched his wife.
Hill has been warded at a private hospital here, where his wife was given outpatient treatment.
A top MRA management official believed the attack was related to several stringent measures introduced by the association recently to protect the integrity of the racing fraternity.
“New rules were put in place to prevent rigging of races, especially at the barring gates.
“We believe people previously involved in such rigging could have planned the attack on Hill,” he said, urging the police to act against the assailants and others involved in the attack.
He said it was the fourth assault on MRA officials in the past year.
Selangor Turf Club chairman Tan Sri Richard Cham condemned the attack, saying the club would not be cowed by the assault and would work with the police to catch the culprits.
“The MRA is trying its best to curb rigging and to restore racing integrity. But syndicates are trying to sabotage us.
“They cannot get what they want and thus, resort to such means,” said Cham.
A spokesman of the Brickfields police headquarters said a task force had been set up to investigate the attack.
