The country's largest heist has left US semiconductor giant Intel shocked at poor cargo security, and industry players today hinting an international syndicate was behind the crime.

The 50-million-ringgit robbery occurred on Monday when 20 men armed with machetes and dressed in security uniforms attacked cargo workers and forced them to drink chloroform-laced liquid to knock them out.

Jacinta Vythilingam, Intel Malaysia media manager, said: "This incident has come as a surprise, especially the lax security in such an area with high-priced cargo.

"We are cooperating with the police and hope to recover our products. We also trust that appropriate action will be taken to step up security in and around the area," she was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.

She added the robbery was expected to have little impact on customers after contingency plans were enacted.

The gang escaped from the cargo complex, which was managed by Malaysia Airlines, after loading two trailers with microchips and computer parts that waiting to be flown abroad.

Revamp security systems

Walter Culas, chairman of the Airfreight Forwarders Association, told AFP the robbers may have conspired with international criminal syndicates to dispose the goods.

"This is a hot product. It is easy to dispose of the items. There are always ready buyers overseas. From my experience, the goods would have left the country within six hours of the robbery," he said.

Koh Tsu Koon, Penang chief minister today ordered tight security to be implemented at airports and ports in the state and demanded a revamp in security arrangement in sensitive areas.

"They must provide tight security for the cargo while it is under their care," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

"The security systems in place at these places should be revamped," he said

Koh had warned that the heist will hurt the state's image and derail attempts to secure fresh investments.

Meanwhile police in Penang have arrested two more men, including a security guard, to assist their probe, bringing the total detained to six.

Reputation sullied

Culas said the incident had rocked the confidence of IT manufacturers in Penang, which is dubbed Southeast Asia's "Silicon Valley" because it houses hundreds of international companies, including Dell and Motorola.

"It is an embarrassment to Malaysia. It is going to hurt all related sectors in Penang. Investors will lose confidence in the security. People may be out of jobs," he warned.

Economic growth hit 7.2 percent in 2004 but slowed to 5.2 percent in 2005. Foreign investment also fell in 2005 to 3.97 billion dollars from 4.62 billion dollars the year before.

In a letter to Idris Jala, managing director of Malaysia Airlines, the operator of the commercial zone where the warehouse is located, Culas said all repeated warnings to bolster security were ignored.

"We had made all those security upgrade suggestions to Malaysia Airlines following a major robbery in the 1990s, when robbers carted away millions of ringgit worth of gold bars.

"Now almost a decade later, a more daring robbery ... has again occurred," he said.