Gold, Greed and Murder: Sambal seller's fatal delivery

SHAH ALAM - Recently, Malaysia was shaken by the tragic news of the death of food trader Norshamira Zainal, who provided Cash on Delivery (COD) services.

Her body was discovered in the river Tanjung Lumpur Bridge last Thursday (Feb 13).

The 37-year-old woman was found around 12.45pm and authorities were alerted.

Kuantan district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu dispatched a team along with forensic experts from Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital to investigate the scene.

Signs of foul play were evident and it is believed that she had been struck on the head with a hard object.

Norshamira had run a food service business and left home the night before around 7.30 pm for a COD service.

The case was being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Her husband, Mohammad Afiq Akhmal Nudin, became alarmed at 5am on the day her body was discovered after being informed that she was running late from her COD service selling sambal ikan bilis garing (crispy anchovy sambal), a business she had been involved in for a year.

While he did not know the exact destination for the COD, he didn’t suspect anything unusual, as it was part of her routine.

He enlisted the help of friends and together, they found her body—unfortunately, she had already passed away.

According to the husband, Norshamira was to be buried in his hometown in Felda Keratong 9, Rompin.

Her father-in-law, Zainal Rahim, last saw her on Jan 28, when they visited a sick relative in Melaka.

Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, also expressed their condolences, visiting the victim's family at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Forensics Unit in Kuantan last Friday.

Norshamira had kept in touch with Zainal daily, who described her as kind-hearted and friendly.

On Feb 14, at around 6pm, Norshamira was buried at Perantau Damai Keratong 8 Muslim Cemetory, Rompin.

The burial process for the second of six siblings went smoothly, and her husband thanked those who assisted.

The Suspect

A 53-year-old suspect was identified a day after the crime, confirmed by the Pahang Police Chief, Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman.

The suspect had a criminal record and had no known relation to the victim. It was reported that he had contacted Norshamira before her COD activity for a business transaction involving her sambal bilis rangup.

The suspect is believed to be responsible for her death and the theft of her gold accessory.

After the murder, the gold was reportedly pawned at a shop in Kuala Terengganu for RM30,000.

Police tracked the stolen gold and, on Feb 15, arrested a 42-year-old pawn shop worker linked to the transaction.

The pawned accessory was recovered and the worker is currently being held for investigation until Feb 22.

Meanwhile, the suspect involved in the murder was arrested on Saturday morning (Feb 16) at 5.30am in the Wakaf Tembesu housing area in Gong Badak, Kuala Terengganu.

A team of police personnel from the Crime Investigation Departments of Pahang and Terengganu carried out the arrest, seizing a ring, cash, clothes and documents. The suspect was remanded by the Kuantan Magistrate Court for seven days, with the remand set to end on Feb 21.

Afiq shared that he had met the suspect a few times and found him to be friendly and nice.

"I met him before when following my wife to do a COD with the guy. He seemed nice and friendly, and I didn’t expect that he would turn out to be so evil," he recalled.

The police believe the murder case is nearing resolution with the arrest of the suspect.

The motive appears to have been the theft of the gold accessory, followed by the murder.

Police have thanked the public for their support in providing relevant information for the investigation.

The husband expressed his relief that the suspect had been remanded and wished for a proportional punishment to ensure justice for his late wife.

Public Reaction

Al-Sultan Abdullah had decreed that appropriate punishment should be imposed on the involved suspect if he is convicted of murder.

"Cruel and inhumane," His Majesty decreed through a post on the Pahang Sultanate's Facebook page.

A TikTok video of a customer named Raz went viral, showing Norshamira promoting her sambal product and praising her as a hardworking businesswoman.

The video, which garnered 3.3 million views, received comments that described her as not only diligent but also kind-hearted and graceful.

"I met her just last week. The sambal was really good, and I regret buying only one. Hopefully, the victim is placed among the righteous," he said.

The victim’s cousin also shared a TikTok video expressing how much she missed her and addressed her as Kak Ngah.

"She was a really kind relative. Whenever we met during Raya, Kak Ngah would promote her product," the cousin wrote.