By Hah Foong Lian

SEREMBAN: Businessman Wong Teck Choy challenged 28-year-old Seow Nan Keong to a fight just before he shot Seow outside a pub in Taman Thivy Jaya, a Coroner's Court heard yesterday.

Beautician Tan Lee Kian said she was standing on the five-foot way outside Goal Pub and Cafe when the incident occurred.

Tan, the girlfriend of Seow's brother Yoon Fatt, said Seow only knew that Wong wanted to reverse his car after pub owner, Chin Yook Foe, asked Seow if his car was parked near Wong's car.

"Seow said yes and told Chin that Wong did not mention anything about wanting to reverse his car,'' she said when testifying as an inquiry witness in the inquest to determine Seow's cause of death.

Tan, 26, said Seow apologised to Chin and walked over to his car to move it so that Wong could reverse his car.

She said that as Seow was walking towards his car, Wong scolded him using vulgar words.

She said Seow replied that he had apologised and was going to move his car.

However, Wong closed his car door, walked towards Seow and pushed Seow with both hands, she said.

Wong told Seow that if he wanted to fight, they should go to another place but Seow did not reply, she said.

Wong then walked to the middle of the road and Seow followed him, she said.

"I saw Wong pull out a pistol and point it at Seow. Before Seow could take a step forward, Wong shot him,'' she said.

She said Wong was about 4.2m away from Seow when Wong opened fire at him.

After she saw Seow fall on the road, she ran to the pub to inform Yoon Fatt about the shooting.

She testified that Wong could have reversed his car out of the parking lot without Seow having to move his car as he had already given Wong enough room to drive his car out.

One of the three policemen, who arrived at the crime scene first, greeted Wong and shook hands with him, she said.

In her police report, she said, Seow was not carrying a knife when the incident occurred and he did not attack Wong.

She said she only knew that police found a knife at the crime scene a day or two after the shooting.

Coroner L. Chandra Devi was assisted by DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah and DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim in the inquest.

Lawyers Karpal Singh, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin and John Fernandez held a watching brief for Seow's family while Gooi Soon Seng and Mary Song held a watching brief for Wong.

The inquiry continues today.