Malaysian receives death penalty for murder of his adoptive parents

“And since the defendant has decided not to accept a reduction in sentence, the court hereby sentences him to death by hanging,” the judge said.

Tan, who previously worked as a stockbroker, was accused of murdering retired engineer Tan Kim Joo, 73, and his wife, retired teacher Ng Chong Hwa, 67, at their home in Nilai town on July 24, 2019 between 4pm and 7.45pm.

He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for a term of up to 40 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if convicted.

The defendant’s lawyer, S. Dynasri, informed the court that her client did not want a reduced sentence before the verdict was announced.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Alauddin Baharom said that while the court had discretion as to whether to send the defendant to prison, the only punishment he deserved was death by hanging.

“The defendant had mercilessly killed two people who had raised him.

“The court should also take into account that this was a deliberate crime against his own family members,” he said.

Alauddin said Tan Kim Joo had 13 injuries on his body, seven of which were stab wounds. His wife had 18 injuries, 11 of which were stab wounds.

“The victims held the accused accountable, but he committed a heinous crime.

“They had stab wounds to vital organs, including lungs, kidneys, liver and heart,” he said.

Alauddin said the accused also tried to cover up his crime by attempting to set fire to the house, but failed.

According to media reports, firefighters who responded to an alarm at the victims’ home found the bodies of the victims with stab and cut wounds in various places in the house.

Alauddin said the accused also used his girlfriend’s car to travel from his home in Kuala Lumpur to Nilai several times as part of his plan before finally committing the crime.

Alauddin said the court must also consider a recent case in which a man was murdered for killing his brother and sent to the gallows, although the changes to the law give courts discretion not to impose the death penalty.

“This was also a premeditated murder in which the victim was slashed.

“Therefore, in this case the public interest must prevail and the only punishment that should be imposed is death by hanging,” he added.