ALOR STAR: A Myanmar national was found dead with his throat slit in the staff quarters of a scrapyard at Jalan Putra, here today.
Kedah Criminal Investigation Department Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Nashir Ya said the victim, Lai Kot A'Ali, 28, was found near the door of the company's staff quarters at about 2.45pm.
A 30cm-long parang was found on his thigh.
"We believe that the victim died no more than 12 hours earlier.
"We need to know the result of the post mortem, which is expected to take place tomorrow, before we can conclude whether the victim committed suicide or if there was any criminal element," said Nashir.
He said the owner of the company was notified at about 2.45pm on the discovery of the body.
Nashir said the victim who had been working at the company for about four years, had valid travel documents and is among 11 staff at the company.
"According to the company owner, the victim was the only one among their employees staying at the house and had been unreachable since Monday," said Nashir.
Meanwhile, Balqis Nasir, 37, who runs a grocery store across the road from where the body was found, said the victim seemed troubled when she last saw him on Friday morning.
"I believe it was around 10am or 11am when he came to the shop last Friday. He seemed troubled and his hands were trembling.
"He said that he was scared at spending the night alone at the staff house as two of his colleagues, whom he shared the house with, had left for Kuala Lumpur and Bangladesh," she said.
Balqis said the company was closed since last Friday in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration.