A Malaysian teenager has been acquitted of murdering a 16-year-old schoolmate after a court found that he was mentally unsound when the killing occurred.
The boy, who was 14 at the time of the incident and cannot be identified because he is a minor, was accused of fatally stabbing Yap Shing Xuen inside a toilet at their secondary school on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.
He had denied the murder charge, but his defence did not dispute that he was responsible for the girl’s death. Instead, his lawyers argued that he should not be held criminally responsible because of his longstanding mental illness.
During the trial, a psychiatrist testified that the teenager had schizophrenia and had experienced mental health problems and delusions from the age of nine.
The court heard that his condition deteriorated during the Covid-19 pandemic and after he returned to school. His lawyers said he would require continued medication to manage his condition.
On Monday, the judge acquitted the teenager on grounds of insanity but ordered that he remain in psychiatric detention for treatment.
He will stay at a psychiatric facility until medical professionals determine that he can safely return to the community. He is also expected to undergo regular assessments.
A defence lawyer said the teenager appeared emotionally neutral after hearing the decision but understood the seriousness of the proceedings.
The trial was conducted behind closed doors, meaning journalists and members of the public were barred from attending the hearings.
The murder generated widespread concern across Malaysia and triggered renewed debate over children’s exposure to social media and potentially harmful online material.
The debate intensified after a note reportedly found in the teenager’s possession following his arrest was leaked and circulated widely online. Some members of the public drew comparisons between the case and the Netflix drama Adolescence, which explores youth violence and online radicalisation.
Police had previously suggested that social media may have influenced the teenager. The case also became part of a broader national discussion about violence involving children and students.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was questioned last year about the killing and other incidents of violence in schools. Local media quoted him as linking many such problems to children’s use of mobile phones and social media and indicated that the government would consider tougher measures.
Malaysian authorities have since introduced restrictions aimed at limiting children’s exposure to harmful online content.
The country has also moved to prevent children below the age of 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms, as part of efforts to strengthen protections for minors online.
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