The father, stepmother and two siblings of a 22-year-old woman who weighed only 18 kilogrammes when she died, were charged with murder at the Magistrate's Court in Kemaman today.

The four Anuar Jusoh, 49; his wife Murni Ahmad, 35; their daughter Siti Sarah, 21, and son, aged 14, were accused of killing Siti Hajar Anuar.

They were alleged to have committed the offence at a house in Batu 5, Jalan Air Putih, Taman Semarak, Binjai, Cukai in Kemaman at 10.45pm on April 26.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence, if found guilty.

No pleas where recorded when the charge was read out to them before Magistrate Badrul Munir Mohd Hamdy.

All the accused, who were not represented, appeared calm throughout the proceedings.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Syazwani Nawawi appeared for the prosecution.

Anuar was ordered to be remanded at the Marang prison, Murni and Siti Sarah at the Bentong prison in Pahang, while the juvenile will be held at the Rusila shelter home.

The court fixed June 13 for a re-mention of the case.

Siti Hajar's death raised questions when police disclosed that the post-mortem report show she was starved and only weighed 18kg, while there were bite marks on her body.

Following that, the four were detained and charged today.

- Bernama