Estate worker in Kinabatangan detained for allegedly hacking co-worker

Police have detained a plantation worker suspected of hacking a co-worker to death at Ladang Kurnialang Malbumi near here, yesterday.

District police chief Supt A.Sahak Rahmat said the Indonesian man aged 44, surrendered himself at the plantation administrative office, seven hours after the incident.

He said a machete was also seized from the suspect following his arrest at 3pm.

"The man has been remanded to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said in a statement today.

According to A. Sahak, the incident happened around 8am in front of the workers' quarters.

He said Jumada Tahniah, an Indonesian aged 46, had approached the suspect while he was digging out sweet potatoes with his wife and children and threatened to kill him.

A fight ensued with Jumada attempting to attack the suspect with a machete but the latter countered by slashing the left side of the victim's neck with a machete.

"The suspect then told his wife and children to go into the house and lock the door before fleeing into the oil palm plantation block," said A. Sahak.