Ex-legislator's wife murdered

The wife of Lai Chew Hock - a former Gerakan state assemblyperson - bled to death yesterday after being stabbed twice by a robber in Bukit Tambun, Seberang Prai.

Thor Joo Lee, 47 ( right ), succumbed to injuries while Lai was driving her to the Loh Guan Lye private hospital in George Town. Her body was taken to the Penang Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.

The incident occurred at 11.30pm as Thor, a petrol kiosk operator, arrived at her double-storey home in Taman Tambun Indah.

It is believed that her assailant had tried to grab her handbag and that Thor was knifed during the ensuing scuffle. The robber escaped with a bag containing about RM10,000 and other valuables.

Lai - who was upstairs - rushed down on hearing the commotion and saw his wife lying in a pool of blood.

He caught sight of a motorcyclist and a pillion rider fleeing the scene, with one of them holding his wife’s handbag.

Lai, the former Bukit Tambun representative, is offering RM50,000 for information on the assailant.

Police said Thor has sustained two deep wounds and that she had died to severe bleeding.

Thor’s brother Yeong Kai, 34, said the knife had penetrated her ribs and lung. He described her sister as “jovial, friendly and helpful person”.

Penang criminal investigation head Wan Abdullah Wan Tuanku Said said police have classified the case as murder.

The couple have four children - Samantha Tzyy Xin, 19 ( photo above, left ), Jason Lai Tzyy Horng, 18, Amanda Lai Tzyy Ei, 17, and Andrew Lai Tzyy Chen, 11.

Thor’s father, Phek Tong, 69 (right) , and mother Tian Lay See, 61 ( photo above, right ), were among family-members who gathered at the mortuary.

Newly-elected Gerakan state chairperson Dr Teng Hock Nan and his wife, and Thor’s family friend PKR Kebun Bunga assemblyperson Jason Ong Khan Lee were also at the hospital.

Teng urged the police to nab the culprits swiftly, noting: “It’s sad that the robbers lacked conscience. They murdered an innocent lady just for money.”

Ong said he had lost a good friend - “only last week, we had dinner together (with our families). Today she is dead.”

Installation of CCTVs

Expressing shock, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he has been raising the issue of increasing incidents of serious crimes with state police chief Ayub Yaakob. On Sunday, for instance, there was a RM840,000 gold heist at the Penang international airport.

"I have requested the police to beef up security and increase patrol to combat crime, especially during the coming festive period,” he said.

"The police chief shares our concern and gave an assurance that they will monitor the situation closely."

Lim extended the state government's condolences to Lai's family, and urged the federal government to expedite delivery of close-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to the state.

This is to strengthen police capacity to monitor crime, since there is a shortage of personnel to conduct more frequent patrols.

The island council has installed 31 CCTVs to date and is awaiting another 24 sets, while the mainland council has yet to install any CCTVs.

The councils will soon write to the Housing and Local Government Ministry requesting immediate delivery of sets allotted to them.

"The cameras will help Penangites to enjoy the basic right of security to live, work, study and play in a safe and secure environment," said Lim, adding that Pnang requires 285 more sets.

He hoped the federal government would supply these as well, failing which the state government would have to think of alternative measures to supplement crime prevention.

Police: Four men involved

Later in the evening, state police chief Deputy Commissioner Ayub Yaakob said initial investigations revealed that four men were suspected to be involved in the murder-cum-robbery incident.

Three men had apparently waited on two motorcycles outside Thor's house while another scaled the wall and attacked her.

"The four then fled the scene on two motorcycles," he told a press conference at the Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters in Bandar Baru Perda, Bukit Mertajam.

The police investigations were based on accounts of eyewitnesses in the neighbourhood, who were roused by Thor's scream for help during the near-midnight commotion.