Three years ago, former loan shark turned hawker Chiam Nguang Huat, in a fit of rage, poured petrol on his wife and set her on fire.

He was furious at her for not giving him RM10,000 to settle a gambling debt.

Yesterday, the High Court sentenced Chiam, 42, to death for causing the death of Lai Siew Fong, 36, at their home in Taman Bayu Mutiara, Bukit Mertajam, on June 24, 2013.

Chiam appeared calm when the decision, which was read out by Judicial Commissioner Nordin Hassan, was conveyed to him by an interpreter in Hokkien.

From the dock, he nodded and turned around towards his family members who were present in the courtroom.

Nordin said Chiam’s action of bringing an empty bottle from home and purchasing fuel at a petrol station showed his intention of pouring petrol on Lai and burning her.

“By running away to Kuala Lumpur and leaving his two children after the incident until he was arrested by the police nine months later, showed that he knew that he had committed a serious offence, which is murdering his wife,” said Nordin.

He said the two sons, aged nine and 14 now, who had witnessed the tragedy, testified in court that Chiam had ignited the petrol with a lit cigarette he had thrown on the floor.

“The accused’s testimony that he had attempted suicide could not be accepted by the court,” he said, noting that Chiam had saved himself first when his body caught fire.

“This is not consistent with someone who is trying to commit suicide,” he said, adding he found the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt.

Nordin said the accused was an aggressive person who had always hit his wife as stated in the testimony of the deceased’s mother, as well as in all the police reports that were made by Lai before the incident.

Chiam had testified that he had quarrelled with his wife several times because she tended to listen to her family and refused to give him money.

Among those who were present in court during the proceedings yesterday were the deceased’s three siblings.

Counsel Y. Anbananthan represented Chiam while DPP Amir Hamdzah Othman prosecuted the case.

When met outside the courtroom after the verdict, the victim’s second elder brother, salesman Lai Seik Fook, 44, expressed relief that justice had been served.

He said his sister was the youngest among four siblings.

Lawyer Ho Leng Hong, who held a watching brief for the family, said their sister Tee Lan, 46, and her husband had been given custody of the two sons.

“That’s the order from the High Court,” Ho said.

Source:
courtesy of THE STAR

by Cavina Lim

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