BATU GAJAH, Feb 28 — A tiff over a "stinky" papaya tree led to the death of a contractor here on Friday night.

Choo Mun Keong, 43, collapsed from a suspected heart attack after an argument with a neighbour in front of his house in Taman Teja, Tanjung Tualang.

Choo's wife, Kok Mei Kin, 24, alleged that the neighbour had invited her husband for a fight after her husband demanded to know why he chopped down the papaya tree.

"The tree was planted by my mother-in-law. It was of sentimental value to him. But the neighbour cut it down without my husband's knowledge, claiming it was stinky," said Kok, who is eight months pregnant.

"When my husband questioned the neighbour about it, he became furious and invited my husband for a fight."

Kok said her husband did not use faeces as fertiliser for the papaya tree, but used organic fertliser and drain water instead.

She said her husband collapsed during a scuffle with the neighbour.

Kok's mother, Loke Siew Fong, 49, said: "My daughter got married two years ago and is expecting a child soon. I don't know how she will manage without her husband."

She said Kok would follow her husband's brother to Kuala Lumpur.

Batu Gajah police district chief Asst Comm Nasri Omar said the neighbour was angry that the victim was using faeces as fertiliser for the papaya tree.

"The victim and suspect got into quarrel after the suspect chopped down the papaya tree at 11am," he said.

He said the contractor was believed to have suffered a heart attack and died during the quarrel at 8pm.

Nasri said a 50-year-old man had been detained to assist in the investigation.