AS condolences pour in for the family of the late Yap Shing Xuen, the shocking revelation by aggrieved mother Wong Lee Ping that her 16-year-old daughter was stabbed a staggering “200 times” instead of “50” that was reported may be a grim reminder of what the future holds for today’s Malaysian schoolchildren.
It is indeed praiseworthy for a distraught Wong to open up by sharing the pathologist’s account of “200 big and small stab wounds” mainly on the right side of her daughter’s body “including lungs and neck” in her quest to clarify misinformation circulated on both mass media and social media.
This goes a long way to nip in the bud tonnes of speculation revibrating in cyberspace as both concerned Malaysian parents and key board warriors try to piece together the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on the Form 3J Shing Xuen (not Forn 4 as cited by most news media given one year was spent on remove class).
So long as this does not disrupt police investigation, setting the record straight would ensure a more accurate depiction of the entire ordeal – thus paving the way for the ultimate truth to prevail – and ultimately, for an effective prevention/school safety measure to be implemented.
Fingers crossed, this will ensure that none of the 5.4 million pupils enrolled in the Education Ministry’s (MOE) schools would need to go through any traumatic homicidal elements during their school life.
“I wanted an answer for Shing Xuen so a similar incident will not befall other children,” stepfather How Boon Chin told the media with Seputeh MP Teresa Kok by the family’s side.
“School is supposed to be a safe place but has now become scary … I heard pupils are afraid to attend school with only 100-odd turned up for classes on Wednesday (Oct 15).”
More details
Based on the two final notes in Mandarin and English found in the suspect’s possession by the police, video game fans opined that the incident has no se*ual motive as it is likely triggered by the suspect’s inability to distinguish reality from fantasy after having been overly engrossed with dark-themed popular Japanese anime Death Note.
Thus aside, below is a general chronology of the entire event:
- On Oct 14 as pupils of SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 4 were sitting for their Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik (UASA) a school-level final academic session assessment conducted for Forms 1, 2, and 3 in secondary schools, Shing Xuen had excused herself to go to the toilet at 9.20am.
- A normal patrol by a female teacher to the girl’s toilet at 9.32am found door to a toilet cubicle locked with screams for help heard.
- When the toilet door was opened, there was a female pupil lying covered with blood.
- The suspect from Form 1T class (not Form Two as reported) was loitering in the school compound with knife in his hand.
- Described by his father as an introvert, he is said to be attending counselling at nearby psychological clinic Thrive Well.
- With the help of the suspect’s Form Four brother, he was subdued with the knife taken away from him.
- Teachers tried to stop the victim’s bleeding while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
- Cops from the Damansara police station took the suspect to the police station.
- The victim was pronounced dead by the paramedic at 10.15am. – Oct 17, 2025
