Murder of Yap Shing Xuen

On 14 October 2025, a 15-year-old Malaysian schoolgirl Yap Shing Xuen (/jɐp̚ sɪŋ hyːn/; Mandarin: 叶芯嫙; [/jɐp̚ sɪŋ hyːn/]; December 22, 2009 – October 14, 2025) was murdered by stabbing in SMK Bandar Utama Damansara (4), Bandar Utama, Selangor, Malaysia. The perpetrator, Lum Chin Hau (林振豪), a student of the same secondary school, stabbed Yap to death using a knife.^[1]

Yap was last seen heading to the school toilet before the murder, and never returned to class. One of the teachers found her body, with bloodstains on her school uniform and the toilet floor. According to students' testimony, the murderer was seen walking around drinking from his water bottle, with a knife on his hand after the killing. It was reported that the graduation ceremony, which was planned initially on the same day, was later called off after the attack.

The Royal Malaysia Police classified the case as murder. The offence carries the death penalty in Malaysia or between 30 to 40 years of imprisonment plus caning; however, the former cannot be applied because of the murderer being underage.^[2] Initial investigation revealed that there was no interaction between the suspect and the victim before the attack, contrary to social media beliefs that the victim rejected the suspect's romantic advances. No elements of school bullying were found during the investigation. Two knives, a Marine combat knife with the words "Sandy Hook 2012" and "Adam Lanza" engraved, and a karambit with the name "Seung-Hui Cho" engraved were seized for investigation.^[3] The High Court ordered the suspect to be sent to Tanjung Rambutan Psychiatric Hospital for a one-month psychiatric assessment.

In October 2025, shortly after Yap's death, a handwritten note, allegedly written by the murderer, has been circulating in social media, which stated the murderer's motive of the killing.^[4] The note, mainly written in Chinese with some parts in English and Japanese Romaji, contains excerpts of the anime series Death Note, and notable school shooting incidents especially Columbine High School massacre, Virginia Tech shooting, Uvalde school shooting, and Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting were mentioned in the note. The two-paged note read:

All of you are going to die!

Zero Day

All people from school and society are only NPCs

Soda boku ga kira da ("That's right, I am Kira") I am the Justice, the hope of humanity, I will be the God of the new world

I'm the one insisting fear to humanity, currently I'm just a 14-year-old teenager

So how fellow NPCs? It's totally my winning! That's right! It's me! Winning!

It's not my fault, but the whole world... [REDACTED]

I love you Shing Xuen [sic] I will leave this world with you together

No matter what the cost, it doesn't matter. In this timeline victory is everything. Columbine Eric Harris Dylan klebold [sic] Virgina Tech Seung hui Cho [sic] Uvalde Robb Elementary Salvador Ramos Sandy Hook Adam Lanza

All the truth are in (my) phone

Password: CHSX8111222

Rubbish school, rubbish society, burn the school, defeat the teachers. I want to seek revenge in school

Many domestic leaders expressed their support and condolences in the immediate aftermath of the murder, including Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, and Nurul Izzah Anwar. Malaysian Chinese Association national organising secretary Leaw Kok Chan stated that an amendment proposal on the party's constitution to prevent convicted criminals from applying for membership.

Several feminist individuals and groups condemned the murder, claiming that the attack was motivated by the incel subculture and femicide. Activist Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, founder and executive director of the feminist non-government organization Pocket of Pink (POP), launched a march demonstration from Taman Tugu Negara to Malaysian Parliament Building on 22 October 2025 in response, which include activists and student movements. The group also demanded the resignation of Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek over her mishandling of the case including previous bullying and rape cases involving secondary school students. It was also reported that politician Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal attended the demonstration. Despite these claims, no sufficient evidence related to misogynistic terrorism was found.

Yap's family conducted a five-day funeral, conducted in Buddhist rites for her in Nirvana 2 Memorial Centre, Kuala Lumpur, which was attended by Nurul Izzah Anwar and Hannah Yeoh. Flower wreaths were sent to the funeral, including from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. Hannah Yeoh placed the Malaysian national jersey in Yap's coffin, citing her active involvement in her school's volleyball team. She was later cremated in 20 October 2025 in Nirvana Memorial Park Crematorium, Shah Alam, Selangor with her parents absent during the cremation due to Chinese traditional belief of not encouraging parents to witness the burial of their children.^[5]

• Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which the perpetrator took inspiration from
• Seung-Hui Cho, whom the perpetrator took inspiration from