BINTULU: Police in Bintulu, northern Sarawak, have uncovered the possible existence of a James-Bond styled miniature pistol called a "ballpen-gun" following the mysterious death of a middle- aged man who collapsed and died in the town centre.

The police chanced upon the lead while investigating the death of the deceased who was a hired-van driver, said Bintulu Police Chief Supt Abdul Razak Mohamad on Monday.

The death of the van driver occurred on Sunday morning, and police called in a pathologist from Kuala Lumpur as well as ballistic and chemistry experts to probe the case after finding that it could be a case involving firearms.

"At about 8.30am, this driver of hired van was found to have collapsed suddenly in front of the marketplace. Eye witnesses saw him parking his van and walked around the place apparently waiting to pick up passengers when he suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground.

"At the time before he collapsed, the witnesses heard a small exploding sound, like a firecracker going off.

"A friend of the driver rushed to his aid and found him struggling to breath. Shortly after he died.

"The van driver was holding in one of his hands a small slim item.

Initial reports stated that the weapon looked like an electronic cigarette and the false story spread that he was smoking an electronic cigarette which exploded and killed him.

"When police were called to the scene, we found that the item was not an electronic cigarette but a miniature firearm in the shape of a ball-pen or a "ballpen-gun,” said Supt Razak.

"We also found in his pocket a small plastic box that contained tiny bullets. The van driver sustained burnt-wounds on his chest that may have resulted from the accidental triggering of the ballpen-gun.

"He could have been holding the device and accidentally pressed the trigger. We are not sure yet and we are investigating this case thoroughly.

Asked whether this ballpen-gun was illegally being traded in Bintulu, Supt Razak said police cannot comment on this as yet.

"We must wait for the pathologist to carry out a post-mortem to determine the cause of death and also the ballistic and chemistry expert to determine the nature of the weapon and the bullet," he said.

Asked whether it was possible he was shot by someone else, Supt Razak said that at the moment, there was no evidence of such foul play.

He said that for now, the police have classified the case as one of sudden death.