KOTA BARU: A 40-year-old Orang Asli man attempted to commit suicide by drinking poison soon after he strangled his wife to death at Kampung Liak near Pos Broke, Gua Musang, yesterday.
Kelantan police chief Deputy Commissioner Datuk Shafien Mamat said the man's plan failed when he survived after receiving treatment at a clinic near his settlement.
However, he said police had arrested the man who is a farmer in connection with the murder of his 38-year-old wife.
"Police investigations revealed that the man was earlier involved in an argument with his wife after finding out she had an affair with another Orang Asli man living in the same village.
"The argument started the night before and continued until yesterday morning.
"The woman was strangled to death by her possibly jealous husband before he tried to kill himself by drinking poison," he told a Press conference here today.
Shafien said the suspect has been remanded to assist police investigations into the case which is being investigated under Section 302 of Penal Code for murder.
Meanwhile, a number of Orang Asli of the Batek tribe from the settlement gathered at the district police station last night to get the latest updates on the murder.
Many described the incident as `weird' because it was rare for Orang Asli people to commit murder.