Teen accused of killing 16-year-old schoolmate in brutal stabbing apologises, defence cites mental illness
A teenager accused of killing 16-year-old schoolgirl Yap Shing Xuen in a brutal stabbing that horrified Malaysia last year has apologised in court.
His lawyer Kitson Foong told reporters after the hearing on Aug 13 that the teenager read a brief statement in Mandarin, expressing remorse over what happened and the consequences that led to Yap’s death.
As the accused is a minor, he did not sit in the dock but stood to one side of the courtroom while delivering his statement, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Yap, a Form 3 student, was found dead in a toilet at a school in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Oct 14, 2025.
Her mother, Wong Lee Ping, later told reporters that her daughter had suffered about 200 stab wounds, including injuries from her neck to her lungs and legs, reported The Star. Police said at the time that they were awaiting the final forensic findings to verify the exact number of wounds.
Wong also sought to dispel speculation surrounding her daughter’s relationship with the accused.
“My daughter is already a victim. Please stop circulating fake stories about how she died,” she said at the time .“She did not know the boy, had never spoken to him and was not in any relationship with him.”
Yap’s death sent shockwaves across Malaysia, with her family mourning a girl they described as “kind and self-disciplined”.
The teenager accused of killing her has now taken the stand in his own defence, about 10 months after Yap’s death.
Psychiatrist says teen had mental illness for 5 years
The boy, who was 14 at the time of the incident and is now 15, was ordered to enter his defence after the court found that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
After he delivered his statement, his lawyers outlined their defence, saying they would rely on Section 84 of Malaysia’s Penal Code and argue that the teenager was of unsound mind.
Under the provision, an act is not an offence if, because of unsoundness of mind, a person was incapable of knowing the nature of the act or that what they were doing was wrong.
The defence called Dr Ian Lo Anthony, director of Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, as an expert psychiatric witness.
According to Foong, the psychiatrist testified about the teenager’s mental condition, including his referral, treatment and assessments.
The doctor diagnosed the teenager as having suffered from mental illness for five years.
Foong said the court heard that the general “golden period” for treating the condition was around 28 months, during which treatment could help bring it under control.
In the teenager’s case, however, he had allegedly been living with the condition for around 60 months.
Classmates allegedly called him ‘mask boy’
The court also heard about behaviour displayed by the teenager following the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Foong, the psychiatrist testified that the teenager continued wearing a face mask even after the pandemic and was teased by classmates, who reportedly called him “mask boy”.
“Some classmates only saw his full face for the first time on the day of the incident,” Foong said, according to Shin Min Daily.
At home, the teenager would also sometimes cover his face with his clothing while speaking to family members.
What happened on the day of the killing
According to earlier reports, the accused and victim were students at SMK Bandar Utama Damansara (4).
The teenager, whose father described as an introverted and quiet person, was arrested on the same day Yap was killed. A handwritten note was also found on the teenager when he was arrested.
Police confirmed the discovery and said the note was being analysed as part of investigations. According to reports cited by Malay Mail, it contained the words: “This world is fake. I have already won.”
Authorities also recovered two knives and a kerambit, a curved blade, following the incident, reported The Star.
He was subsequently charged with murder under Section 302 of Malaysia’s Penal Code after the Attorney-General’s Chambers said there were sufficient grounds to prosecute him.
Because he is a juvenile, court proceedings have been held behind closed doors.
Hundreds of family members, friends, teachers and schoolmates attended Yap’s funeral, with The Star reporting that nearly 500 people turned up to bid farewell to her.
According to Malay Mai, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh placed a Team Malaysia volleyball jersey in Yap’s casket after learning from her mother that the teenager loved the sport.
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