SIBU: The High Court here yesterday heard that the wife of the murder suspect had called a neighbour about borrowing money from her before the tragedy.
Wong Hua Hoo, 48, told the court that Ling Yung Ming telephoned her on July 3 last year about borrowing money from her (Wong).
Wong said she had known Yung Ming for more than 10 years since she (Wong) moved to Pulau Li Hua, and they had become good friends.
She said Yung Ming was crying while talking on the telephone that day.
“She told me she needed to borrow some money because her husband wanted the whole family dead,” Wong said.
She also told the court that Yung Ming’s husband was about RM1 million in debts.
In response to Yung Ming’s request, Wong told her (Yung Ming) that her (Wong’s) children also needed money for school.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Ben Lau, Wong said she could not remember the exact date that Yung Ming telephoned her to ask for money.
She also said that was the only time that Yung Ming asked to borrow money from her. She said prior to that call, she did not know Yung Ming’s family had run into financial problems.
Another neighbor, Ngan Kiu Eng, 51, told the court that she got home about 9am on July 5, 2013 after taking care of some business matters.
She said she saw Jacob Tiang’s son Vincent standing next to her car when she parked her car at her car porch.
She said Vincent looked fearful and weak but was not crying.
“He told me that his father beat him,” she told the court during the examination in chief by Senior Federal Counsel (SFC) Yaacub Chik.
She also said she telephoned Lanang Police Station and about 30 minutes later the police arrived.
Tiang is accused of killing his wife Yung Ming, teenage daughter Christine Tiang Soon Ai and toddler son Victor Tiang Soon Seng and attempting to murder his son Vincent Tiang on July 5 last year.
He faces three murder charges under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
He also faces a charge under Section 307 of the same code for trying to kill his son Vincent Tiang.
The attempted murder charge carries a jail term of 10 years, or in this case, 20 years for causing hurt to Vincent while trying to kill him.
Tiang is also charged under Section 309 of the same code for attempted suicide.
The section carries a maximum one year’s jail, or with a fine, or with both.
Hearing continues today.