POLICE believe jealousy was the initial motive behind the stabbing of a woman in the neck while in a car in front of a restaurant on Jalan Titi Gajah, Kepala Batas on Sunday night.
Kedah Police Chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said that further investigations are still being conducted to identify the exact motive behind the incident.
According to him, initial investigations also found that the suspect and the victim had known each other for over a year.
“So far, we believe there is an element of jealousy or unrequited love, but investigations are still ongoing.
“Both of them do not work at the same company but are in the same field as real estate agents,” he told a press conference at the Kedah Police Contingent Headquarters on Monday.
He said the victim, who is a single mother with two children, is now in stable condition after receiving treatment at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB).
He said the suspect, who is a widower, is believed to have been in a car with the victim before the incident occurred.
“Within minutes after the car arrived at the location, the victim honked the vehicle horn to attract the attention of the public before the suspect fled.
"The victim's quick action managed to attract the attention of nearby stall workers who then helped provide first aid," he said.
Adzli said police later managed to arrest the 32-year-old male suspect about four hours after he walked about 6.2 kilometres near a mosque in Taman Uda at 1.50 am Monday.
According to him, the operation to track down the suspect was also assisted by using the police K9 Unit.
"The results of the check found that the suspect had a record related to a case of injuring his girlfriend under Section 326 of the Penal Code.
"However, urine tests found the suspect negative for drugs," he said.
He said police were still tracking the weapon believed to have been used in the incident, and believe it was a sharp and long object.
He said that the suspect was remanded for seven days, starting Monday, to assist in the investigation under Section 326 of the Penal Code for causing serious injury using a weapon.
Meanwhile, he also expressed his appreciation to the public and nearby clinic staff who helped provide initial treatment to the victim.
"The initial treatment successfully stopped the bleeding in the victim's neck. If help was given late, the injury could have been more serious," he said. – May 18, 2026
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