Justice K Muniandy handed down the sentence to Lau Zi Feng, after the 27-year-old unemployed man pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code.

He was initially charged with murdering his sister at their home on March 9, 2020, but had the charge reduced by the prosecution last year.

“The court previously instructed (consultant forensic psychiatrist) Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony to prepare a report to assist the court before sentencing,” said Muniandy.

In his report, Anthony had recommended that Lau be given a “minimum or short-term prison sentence” due to his mental condition.

The doctor stated that Lau complained of “persistent auditory hallucinations” and his symptoms would flare up immediately if he stopped taking his medicines.

“Currently, his insight into his mental health disorder is poor and he is unable to appreciate the level of dangerousness he poses to society,” the report read.

Anthony also said Lau needed “intensive treatment with antipsychotic medications, psychotherapy and a dedicated rehabilitation programme in order to achieve disease remission and recovery”.

The report also detailed Lau’s family history and how he was verbally and physically assaulted by his father and other siblings since childhood.

Given Lau’s current mental condition, Muniandy directed that the prison department send Lau to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta if there is a need to do so.

“He will receive rehabilitation treatment from a (government hospital) psychiatrist while serving his sentence,” the judge added.

According to the facts of the case, police received a report claiming that there was an altercation at a house in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, on the night of March 9, 2020.

Two officers then arrived at the scene, where they met the siblings’ mother who pleaded for them to call an ambulance.

The officers arrested Lau, who was found sitting in the living room and staring blankly at the wall. They also found his sister’s remains in one of the other rooms.

Police investigations showed that Lau and his sister were quarrelling on the day of the incident due to a misunderstanding.

He then used a pair of scissors to stab her in the neck.

A check on his medical records showed that in April 2019, one year prior to the incident, Lau was prescribed antipsychotic medications, normally given to schizophrenic patients.

However, he did not attend follow-up treatment and stopped taking his medication.

Lau was represented by lawyer Mak Kah Keong while deputy public prosecutor Zaileen Nadia Zubir appeared for the prosecution.