In a statement, the district police said they received the WhatsApp message from the lance corporal at 8.20am.

An operation was immediately launched to track him down but police found him only three hours later.

“At 11.18am, the police officer was found dead in a car with a gunshot wound in the neck,” the statement said, adding that a .38 revolver was found next to the body.

The car was found at a public parking lot in Muar town. It is understood that the incident is linked to personal reasons.

Johor police said further investigations are being conducted over the alleged suicide.

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