Kota Kinabalu: The mother of Nurul Ain Silien broke down in tears in the High Court here on Monday as she read her Victim Impact Statement ahead of the Feb 13 sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty to murdering her daughter.
Datuk Aminah @ Sitti Aminah Jabarhan said her youngest daughter, Nurul Ain, 21, had lodged a police report a day before her death after being followed by the accused, Chung King Fung.
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She added that evidence showed he had bought a knife on the morning of the incident before attacking her at her workplace.
She told the court that Nurul Ain was killed in public, in broad daylight, while earning an honest living, showing a complete lack of fear and mercy.
The family only learned of the killing through viral videos circulating online before they reached the hospital, which caused lasting trauma and stripped them of their dignity.
Aminah said the victim’s sister, who was then in postnatal confinement, now suffers from anxiety and other medical conditions, while she herself requires psychiatric treatment and struggles with daily life.
She said her husband, Silien Mohd Ripin, received a final WhatsApp message from their daughter at 11.51am saying, “He is here,” and they rushed to the scene only to be told she had died.
Since then, the family has lost all sense of safety and lives in constant fear.
The family has also suffered financial hardship, she said, due to medical expenses, funeral costs and repeated court travel, as well as the loss of Nurul Ain’s future income, forcing her retired husband to rely on his savings.
Aminah rejected the mitigation submissions by the defence, saying they were untrue. She said she had given birth to Nurul Ain at the age of 42 and raised her with love and care.
She added that she had trusted the accused and even treated him like her own child, never imagining he would kill her daughter so brutally.
“My daughter was so small. Why did he kill her as if she were a wild animal?” she said tearfully, urging the court to impose the maximum sentence.
Meanwhile, defence counsel Edward Paul appealed for a prison sentence instead of the death penalty, saying the accused regretted his actions and had pleaded guilty.
He said Chung and the victim had been in a romantic relationship, that Chung had converted to Islam as a sign of commitment, and that the offence was a crime of passion caused by emotional distress.
Edward added that Chung had immediately contacted police after the incident, showing remorse and potential for rehabilitation.
“Nothing can bring the victim back, but the accused’s decision to plead guilty at least shows genuine remorse and indicates that he is capable of rehabilitation,” said Edward.
