Murder cases in Kelantan have increased by more than 100 per cent during the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year, raising concern among police authorities.
Kelantan police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat said five murder cases have been recorded so far this year compared to only one case during the corresponding period in 2025.
According to him, police do not rule out drugs as one of the contributing factors behind the rise in violent crimes, although investigations found that not all cases were linked to substance abuse.
“We are concerned because the increase is more than 100 per cent compared to last year, and this is only within the first four months,” he said after officiating the monthly assembly at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters on Monday.
“We cannot predict when someone intends to kill another person. Some cases are related to drugs while others involve suspects who tested negative, so we need to investigate each case individually,” he added.
Mohd Yusoff said many of the murder cases occurred suddenly following arguments or fights that escalated beyond control and eventually resulted in death.
However, he noted that police had successfully solved several high-profile cases within a short period, including a recent case involving a college student.
“Most of the incidents happened spontaneously. A fight breaks out and it suddenly turns into murder. That makes it difficult for us to predict or prevent such crimes earlier,” he explained.
The rise in murder cases has sparked growing concern over public safety and violent crime trends in the state.
At the same time, Mohd Yusoff urged the public to pay closer attention to the movements and activities of family members, especially youths, while strengthening religious understanding and moral values to prevent individuals from acting beyond limits.
“We urge the community to always stay alert about their surroundings and monitor their children’s movements,” he said.
“Sometimes when religious understanding and faith are lacking, anything can happen, including acts that lead to murder,” he added.
