A QUIET residential area in Taman Cerating Damai was shaken by tragedy when five family members were found dead in what police are investigating as a suspected murder-suicide.
The victims were identified as 33-year-old Nurul Asshiykin Kamaruzaman; her daughters, Nur Sumayyah Humairah, two, and Saffiyah Humairah, five; and her 56-year-old mother-in-law, Tuan Kamaria Tuan Puteh.
Police believe the 32-year-old husband carried out the fatal attacks in the early hours of the morning before turning the weapon on himself.
What happened?
The incident reportedly occurred at about 7am Tuesday. The suspect is believed to have used a sharp weapon to attack four members of his family inside their home.
He was later found with stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A key witness, the suspect’s youngest brother, told police he heard an argument shortly before the incident.
Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Ashari Abu Samah said the witness heard a commotion at about 7am while he was in his bedroom.
“When the witness came out of the room and looked towards the kitchen, he found his mother covered in blood and screaming for him to go seek help from his uncle, who stayed at the same residential area,” he said.
The witness sought help from the uncle and, upon returning to the house, they found all the victims and the suspect unconscious and covered in blood.
The house was occupied by eight family members -the suspect, who worked as a security guard; his wife, a housewife; their two daughters; his mother and three younger brothers. At the time of the incident, six family members were at home.
Initial investigations indicate the suspect had no record of receiving mental health treatment and no prior criminal record.
Police believe he attacked his wife first, followed by his mother and two daughters, before taking his own life. Injuries included wounds to the hands, ears and neck.
A 29-centimetre knife was seized at the scene.
Post-mortem and burial
Post-mortem examinations were conducted over two days at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) in Kuantan.
The procedures for the suspect and his wife were completed on Tuesday, while the post-mortems for the mother-in-law and the two children were carried out the following day.
On Wednesday at about 3.10pm, the bodies were claimed by family members from the hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department.
Four hearses transported the remains to Masjid Kampung Cherating for funeral prayers before they were taken to the cemetery.
Asshiykin, her two daughters and her mother-in-law were buried in a single grave, while the husband was buried separately. The burial process was completed at about 7.20pm.
Family members, friends and local residents gathered in a sombre atmosphere to pay their final respects.
Public reaction and mental health discussion
Beyond the grief, the case sparked discussions online, particularly on Threads, with many users urging greater awareness of mental health issues.
One user, maa.amalia, wrote that mental struggles are not always visible.
“We might think we are not mentally ill, but when our emotions are unstable, things like this might happen,” the user said.
Another user, matkmin, highlighted the pressures of modern life and warned against rushing to judgment.
“Outsiders are quick to judge. But the reality is that the pressure of life is really heavy now. When income is lost and commitments pile up, financial stress can be very stressful. Depression is silent. It’s not visible, but it can eat away at you from the inside,” the user wrote.
The user also cautioned against ignoring warning signs such as insomnia, constant anxiety and prolonged sadness.
Meanwhile, izynnmn urged those struggling emotionally or mentally to seek help before their situation worsens.
“Please talk to someone if you have any problems. If you can’t talk to someone you know or someone you are close with, seek professional help,” the user said.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.