SEREMBAN: A 55-year-old former lecturer accused of stabbing her husband to death has been ordered by the Magistrate's Court here to undergo psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Permai in Johor Baru.

       Magistrate Norzaliza Tesmin issued the order following an application by Joshua Nga Koo Koy, the counsel for the accused, when the case came up for mention on Friday (Feb 25).

       Lau Seck Yan, who ran as an independent candidate for the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election in 2018, was charged on Jan 28 with the murder of 55-year-old Poh Seng Hiap at their home in the Rasah Kemayan Golf and Country Township.

       The mother of four allegedly committed the offence between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Jan 23. No plea was recorded from her.

       Poh had previously worked as an accountant in the private sector.

       Lau was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death penalty upon conviction.

       Nga asked the court to send the accused for a mental health evaluation as she had a history of turning aggressive and violent with the deceased.

       He said two affidavits signed by the couple's oldest daughter on behalf of the siblings on this had also been submitted to the court on Feb 22 and 23.

       "The oldest daughter had also lodged a police report on Dec 22 last year on her mother's condition and that she needed to be sent for treatment.

       "She decided to do so after her late father sent her a message on Dec 19 telling his daughter that he could no longer live with or tolerate his wife's behaviour," he said, adding that they had, on several occasions, tried to persuade the accused to go for treatment but to no avail.

       Nga told the court that the accused had also caused injuries to the deceased on several occasions before his death and that their children were aware of this.

       They claimed the mother had a temperamental behaviour and may be suffering from schizophrenia.

       "In the affidavit, the siblings have also said that the accused would be normal when in public and would actually help others but would suddenly turn aggressive when she returned home," he said.

       Another daughter, he said, has also found a note allegedly written by the accused to the deceased several years ago that she wanted to attain "nirvana".

       "In the note, she told the deceased that he should not be sad if she were to die.

       "She also sought his forgiveness for her behaviour towards him," he said, adding that the accused had also written a note to the children, seeking their forgiveness if she had been unkind or ever hurt their feelings.

       Nga then told the court that this was clear that the accused always had suffered suicidal thoughts and extreme mood swings and may be suffering from a bipolar condition.

       When Norzaliza asked the prosecuting officer ASP C. Rathna if she had any objection to the request, the latter said she didn’t.

       Norzaliza then ordered the accused to be sent to the facility for observation.

       She also fixed March 23 for the next mention and the submission of the post-mortem, toxicology, chemistry and psychiatry reports.

       Lau, who was brought handcuffed to court dressed in a khaki-coloured hooded blouse and dark pants, avoided reporters unlike on the day she was first charged when she repeatedly told them she was innocent.

       Seremban OCPD ACP Nanda Maarof was quoted in earlier news reports as saying that Poh suffered stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

       He added that police received a call about the incident from the victim’s 18-year-old daughter.

       Two of the couple's children reportedly witnessed the incident.