A 49-year-old housewife was charged at the Ipoh Magistrates’ Court on Friday with murdering her 70-year-old mother at a house in Menglembu last week.
Chew Loong Thye nodded after the charge was read to her in Cantonese before Magistrate Norizan Riduan. However, no plea was recorded as the case involves a murder charge.
According to the charge sheet, Chew is accused of murdering Ching Lai Kheng at a house in Taman Wang, Menglembu, in the Kinta district, between 7.15pm and 7.30pm on Sept 27.
She was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, along with at least 12 strokes of the cane if the death penalty is not imposed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ainin Sofiya Azlaini told the court that the pathology and toxicology reports were still pending. No bail was offered.
Chew, who was unrepresented by a lawyer, told the court that she had been taking psychiatric medication.
The court subsequently ordered her to be referred to a specialist for a psychiatric assessment and report under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The case has been fixed for mention on Nov 2 to obtain the relevant reports, including the psychiatric report.
Previously, it was reported that the case was brought to the attention of police by the victim’s son-in-law, following which the suspect was arrested shortly after the incident.
The victim, who was bedridden, was believed to have been brought home from an elderly care centre in Pusing shortly before the incident to be cared for at home.
