FINANCIAL MOTIVE SUSPECTED IN MURDER OF FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN CERATING DAMAI

KUANTAN, 17 Feb (Bernama) -- Initial police investigations into the murder of a family of five at the Cerating Damai housing area here this morning indicate that financial difficulties may have been the motive.

Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the case is still under investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

“It is understood that the suspect had no record of mental illness,” he told reporters at the scene today.

The bodies of the five victims were removed from the residence at about 12.45 pm and taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) for post-mortem.

Two of the victims are expected to be buried today, while the remaining three will be buried tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a neighbour, Saripah Jaya, 60, described the family as friendly, including the suspect, who would often greet her husband when he was outside their house.

“His mother also frequently jogged around the neighbourhood. It was raining heavily this morning, and I did not hear any commotion or sounds of fighting,” said Saripah, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years.

Another resident, Tengku Fakri Tengku Aziz, 41, said he was shocked by the tragedy.

“I never expected something like this to happen so close to our home. This is the first such incident in this neighbourhood,” he said, adding that he noticed a crowd gathering in front of the house while on his way to Kemaman, Terengganu.

The incident, which occurred at about 7 am, involved two girls aged three and four, their parents aged 32 and 28, whose bodies were found in a bedroom, and their 55-year-old grandmother, who was discovered in the kitchen.

Yahaya said the 32-year-old man is believed to have injured his wife, mother and two children with a sharp weapon, suspected to be a knife, before turning it on himself.

-- BERNAMA