A Malaysian court has acquitted a teenager of murdering 16-year-old schoolgirl Yap Shing Xuen after ruling that he was “mentally unsound” when he fatally stabbed her at their school.
The boy, who was 14 at the time of the incident and cannot be named under Malaysian law, was ordered to remain in a psychiatric hospital for treatment following Monday’s ruling, the BBC reported. He will remain detained until doctors determine that he is fit to return to society and is expected to undergo regular medical assessments.
The teenager had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, although his defence team did not dispute that he was responsible for Yap’s death. Instead, his lawyers argued that he had been suffering from serious mental illness for several years and should be acquitted on the grounds of insanity. A psychiatrist who testified during the trial said the teenager had schizophrenia and had experienced mental illness and delusions since he was nine years old.
The defence argued that his condition deteriorated during the Covid-19 pandemic and after he returned to school. His lawyers also said he would likely require medication for the rest of his life.
Yap was fatally stabbed multiple times in a toilet at the secondary school on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Her death shocked Malaysia and sparked renewed concerns about violence among children and the possible influence of social media on young people.
Police had previously said they suspected social media may have influenced the teenager. A note reportedly found on him following his arrest was later leaked online and widely circulated, intensifying public debate over the role of online content in the case.The case also became part of a broader national debate over children’s access to social media. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously said that many recent cases of violence in schools were linked to mobile phones and social media.
The government has since introduced measures aimed at limiting children’s exposure to harmful online content. Since June, children under 16 have been barred from holding accounts on major social media platforms.
The trial and verdict were held behind closed doors because the accused is a minor. Following Monday’s ruling, a defence lawyer said the teenager appeared emotionally neutral but understood the seriousness of the court’s decision. Although the teenager was acquitted, the ruling does not mean he will be released into the community. He will remain under psychiatric care, with his continued detention and treatment determined by future medical assessments of his condition.