IRENE Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal had little, if any, interest at all in romance, choosing instead to focus on her studies and her dream of becoming a doctor, according to her aunt.
But the 16-year-old Form Four student was found dead inside a school hall in Yong Peng on Saturday, with police investigating her death as murder.
Irene, known as Fiya to her family, was found lying in a pool of blood at about 5.30 pm after her family and classmates began searching for her when she failed to return home.
Her aunt, Siti Nur Faeza Khyar, 45, said Irene had never shown much interest in having a boyfriend while she was still in school.
“She was very focused on her studies and wanted to succeed in life. She wanted to become a doctor like her late mother,” she told Kosmo! when met at Kampung Parit Selamat yesterday.
Nur Faeza said Irene’s mother died about six years ago and that her niece had hoped to follow in her footsteps.
She described Irene as quiet and hardworking, saying she regularly ranked among the top students in her form and would often come first or second in examinations.
“She was one of the students our family and her school had high hopes for. She had the potential to score nine As in the SPM,” she said.
The family became concerned after Irene failed to return home and her classmates realised she was missing from school.
Her motorcycle was later found at a shop opposite the school, prompting her classmates to contact the family.
Nur Faeza then went to the school with Irene’s grandmother and several classmates to look for her.
They eventually found Irene inside a school hall.
“Her classmates screamed when they saw her covered in blood. She was still moving but appeared very weak,” she said.
Nur Faeza said the family noticed that Irene’s tudung appeared to have been pulled from behind, although she stressed that the circumstances surrounding the attack were now a matter for police to establish.
Meanwhile, Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said a 16-year-old boy had been remanded for six days to assist investigations into Irene’s death.
He said the teenager was arrested at about 7 pm on Saturday in the Yong Peng town area after police received a report on the incident.
“Police also seized a mobile phone, a bag, a set of clothing and a pair of slippers to assist investigations,” he said.
Ab Rahaman said Irene was believed to have suffered injuries after being struck with a hard object.
A post-mortem was conducted at Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail in Batu Pahat.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code, while police have yet to establish a motive.
“I cannot imagine the pain and suffering she went through before we found her.
“We never imagined something like this could happen to our niece,” Nur Faeza said. – October 5, 2026
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