Mum of S'porean fatally stabbed at JB nightclub says death still a mystery, hopes justice will be served: Shin Min

On the morning of Mar. 14, a woman got a visit from her son's friend.

He told her that her son had been killed in Johor Bahru just hours before.

She told her daughter to drop everything, and they rushed over to Johor Bahru.

But when they arrived, her son's body was already cold, she told Shin Min Daily News.

Chia Hon Chung, 32, was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons and stabbed in the neck following a brawl at Aston Club Southkey, around 5:30am on Mar. 14.

Six suspects were arrested in relation to the incident over the next few days, all reportedly Singaporean.

A 25-year-old Singaporean man, believed to be among them, was charged with Chia's murder in a Johor court on Mar. 31.

Quiet and hardworking person

According to Chia's mother, he was quiet and a diligent worker.

"He's not the type of person who would get into conflicts with people," she told Shin Min. "He probably got into a fight this time because he made the wrong friends."

After Chia's elder sister got married and moved out, he continued to live with his parents.

His father's mobility was limited due to a stroke, so the three of them relied on Chia and his mother, who worked a part-time job, to get by financially.

Chia had taken leave for a holiday in Johor Bahru with his friends, his mother said.

"Who knew he would never return after that?"

'Bring justice to my son'

It was very sudden when she received the news of his death from his friend, she told Shin Min in an emotional interview.

Afterwards, she had only learnt about the suspects' arrests and the court trial in Malaysia from the news.

She said that the Malaysian authorities have yet to share further details on the case with the family, including the CCTV footage at the nightclub and the trial schedule.

"My son died a tragic death, and the circumstances around it are very unclear," she said. "We do not know anything. The details are still a mystery. I hope the authorities will thoroughly investigate the case, so that we can know the truth, and bring justice to my son."

Linked to an assault

The fight between Chia and the suspects was reportedly in connection with an assault on another man in the nightclub's toilet.

It happened about an hour before Chia was attacked.

A Singaporean was subsequently arrested and fined RM1,700 (S$542) for the assault in the toilet.

According to The Star, Chia and the victim of the assault were friends. Neither of them knew the accused before the incidents.

The next mention of the case will be on Jun. 3, as prosecutors are waiting for the toxicology, chemical, and DNA reports.

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