KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Traders and workers in the Desa Palma commercial area  in Nilai say they recognised the man linked to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast that shook the neighbourhood last week, describing him as a familiar, unremarkable presence who blended easily into daily life.

A shop assistant, identified only as Syazwana, said the suspect visited her store regularly, two to three times a week, to buy everyday items. 

“He has bought eggs, ice cream, bread and other things. He appeared like any other customer and never did anything strange,” she was quoted as saying by national daily Kosmo!.

She added that the man appeared to be a resident in the area and was often seen in casual attire. 

“I never would have thought he would be involved in something like this,” she said.

A nasi lemak seller in her 50s, known as Kak Ros, echoed the sentiment, saying she also recognised the suspect as a regular customer. 

“He always buys nasi lemak and kuih here. 

“We did not really take an interest in him because we thought he was just an ordinary person,” she said.

Police detained the 62-year-old suspect in Mantin yesterday. 

Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Alzafny Ahmad said the man was tracked down in a forested area near Batang Benar following a public tip-off. 

He was found injured and weak before being sent to Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban for treatment, he said.

In the early hours of December 22, an explosion occurred at a parking area within the Desa Palma apartments, startling residents and prompting a police investigation into the use of an IED.