The Teluk Intan Magistrate’s Court today issued an order to have a maintenance worker remanded for seven days from today to help in the investigation into the murder of three young siblings in Bagan Datuk yesterday.

Magistrate Syahdatul Kamila Zakaria issued the order to remand the 35-year-old man, a fellow worker of the father of the three children, who were slashed to death in Kampung Sungai Haji Muhammad, Selekoh, in Bagan Datuk.

Perak CID chief SAC Yahya Abd Rahman said a man suspected to be under the influence of drugs had killed the children, Nur Ziah Fasihah Mohd Fadzil, two, Muhammad Firash Zaffril, three, and Muhammad Faqhqih Zahirul Haq, five, at about 2 pm after entering their house in the village.

The man also slashed and injured four other people, namely the siblings' mother Zuraidah Md Ali, 35, their elder sister Nur Zurin Faziera, nine, a pupil identified as Aina, also nine, and a teacher identified as Ustaz Ridzuan, 40, he said.

Yahya said the suspect who was remanded today was arrested about 45 minutes after the incident at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Haji Muhammad, not far from the victims’ house.

Meanwhile, Hilir Perak District Police chief ACP Mohd Marzukhi Mohd Mokhtar said the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and ganja.

“Our investigation revealed that he was fully conscious during the incident and knew who to look for. His house was only about 400 metres from the victims’ house,” he said at a press conference at the Hilir Perak District Police headquarters.

He said that after slashing the children and their mother, the suspect went to the school, about 80 metres from the victims’ house.

He also said that a policeman was slightly injured when he grappled with the suspect to overpower him.

-- Bernama