'He wanted a romantic relationship, she didn't': Father of slain student

The body of the MARA University of Technology (UiTM) female student who was slashed to death by a known assailant has been laid to rest today.

Funeral prayers for Nursyuhada Johari, 20, were held at the Kampung Cherok Mokkan mosque here before her burial at the village’s Muslim cemetery at 10am.

Nursyuhada’s father, Johari Hashim said he regretted the tragedy that befell his daughter.

The 55-year-old said being from the same village, the suspect had known his daughter since she was in Form Five but there had always been tension between the two.

He said the suspect had wanted a romantic relationship with his daughter but she only wanted them to remain friends as the man was suspected to be a drug addict.

Johari said, a police report was lodged four years ago on the suspect’s continuous harassment of his daughter.

He said the suspect’s family knew about his aggressive behaviour. He, however, did not think the suspect would behave irrationally.

Johari said, on the day of the incident, his wife, Nur Azlina Dawari, was contacted by Nursyuhada’s friend who told her that Nursyuhada had been forced to follow the suspect into his car after being threatened.

“The suspect had a knife with him. He threatened to stab my daughter if she didn’t follow him.

“My wife tried to contact our daughter but she didn’t pick up the calls. She then contacted the suspect’s parents, asking them to contact their son and to send Nursyuhada back,” he said.

“Soon after, the suspect’s father contacted me himself and told me that his son had slit my daughter’s throat,” said Johari, adding that he hoped the suspect would be penalised heavily for what he had done to his daughter.

Nursyahada was stabbed by the 25-year-old suspect at KM228.2 of the North South Highway near Bukit Gantang.

The first year student at Penang’s UiTM Permatang Pauh died while being treated at Kuala Kangsar Hospital.

Earlier today, acting Taiping district police chief Supt Ismail Che Isa said the suspect has been remanded beginning today to assist investigations.

In a Bernama report, he said the case was not related to theft and was being probed under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

In the 12pm incident yesterday, it was reported that Nursyuhada, after being forced to enter the suspect’s dark-coloured Proton Perdana, had attempted to open the door of the car which was parked along the emergency lane.

The suspect was seen alighting the vehicle and tried to drag her to the road divider before he fled to the nearby woods.

Onlookers who witnessed the incident jumped in to help and nabbed the suspect.

Nursyuhada was brought to hospital and was pronounced dead at 2pm.

Police later found a knife smeared with blood in the bushes at the scene.