The suspect believed to be involved in the fatal attack on a Felda settler in Felda Lok Heng Selatan, Johor, allegedly had a history of mental health issues and had stopped taking prescribed medication years ago.
The suspect’s elder sister said her younger brother last received treatment and took medication for his mental health condition about eight years ago.
She also revealed that he had previously been referred to the Pengasih association in Johor Bahru for issues related to drug use.
Speaking to reporters, she said her brother struggled to remain at home after leaving the centre and frequently experienced hallucinations.
“He often experienced hallucinations and once asked to be sent to a tahfiz school before being referred to Tampoi Hospital,” she said.
According to her, hospital staff found that his hallucinations and mental health problems were linked to the use of illicit substances.
Although the hospital provided him with medication, he reportedly took it for only two months before stopping altogether.
Despite his struggles, the woman described her brother as a kind person who did not bother others and often took on odd jobs around the village to earn money.
Since their parents died, he had been living alone in the family home, while she had moved out to rent another property.
However, she said he would still visit her whenever he needed help, including when he needed food.
Commenting on the incident, the woman said she learned about it after noticing local residents gathering at the scene.
She believed her brother would not have travelled far from the Felda settlement, and her suspicion proved correct when police arrested him at a nearby plantation.
The incident went viral on social media after reports emerged that a Felda settler had allegedly been hacked to death with an axe in the area the previous night.
Police investigations into the case are ongoing.
