THE horrific suspected murder-suicide has claimed the lives of five family members at a residence in Taman Cerating Damai, shattering the peace of the close-knit neighbourhood during the Chinese New Year public holiday.
The victims, identified as a fifty-five-year-old grandmother, a twenty-eight-year-old woman, and two young girls aged three and four, were reportedly attacked by a security guard who subsequently turned the blade on himself.
The suspect had only recently returned to his family home approximately one month ago after working as a lorry driver in Selangor.
Despite the gravity of the crime, neighbours described the assailant as a polite and respectful individual who showed no outward signs of distress or aggression prior to the Tuesday morning tragedy.
Saripah Jaya, a sixty-year-old neighbour whose home shares a wall with the scene of the crime, recounted the eerie silence that preceded the discovery.
She told Harian Metro that: “I and my husband directly did not hear anything suspicious, whether it was the sound of people screaming or asking for help early that morning.’
She further noted that the heavy rain at approximately 6am might have muffled any sounds of a struggle.
The alarm was only raised when a surviving family member was spotted outside the house in a state of visible distress.
Saripah recalled: “I saw one of the victims' family members sitting outside the house when I went to feed the chickens at 7.30am. He appeared shocked and only pointed towards the house. I did not suspect anything and returned home until policemen arrived minutes later.
The community remains in a state of profound shock, as the family was well-regarded within the settlement.
Saripah added: “The suspect himself called me and my husband as Mok and Aboh and every time we met, he would surely greet us. After he returned and lived with the family in this house since about a month ago, he did not show any change in attitude, he looked just as usual.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Johari, a family friend, confirmed the suspect’s recent transition back to the area, noting that the thirty-two-year-old had taken up work as a local security guard.
The motive for the killings remains unclear, as those close to the family insisted there were no visible signs of financial or domestic turmoil.
Saripah observed that the neighbour, who was affectionately called Kak Yah, and her son, the suspect, looked normal before this and did not show as if they were in trouble.
Forensic teams and high-ranking officials, including Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman, converged on the scene as the narrow residential streets became congested with onlookers.
Tengku Nurul Fakri Tengku Aziz, a resident who witnessed the aftermath, said: “I have read about murder cases in newspapers and on social media, but this is the first time I have been near a crime scene involving several victims.
The bodies were transported to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for post-mortem examinations as the investigation continues.
Family members declined to be interviewed by the media. - February 17, 2026
