KUALA LANGAT, Dec 15 — The 12-year-old boy who was the sole survivor of a suspected murder-cum-arson tragedy that claimed the lives of four of his family members has been provided police protection.

Sources said the boy, whose identity has been withheld, is a significant witness to the case.

"He is a person of vital interest to the investigation and is undergoing counselling for trauma before investigators question him. We will give him all the time he needs,” the sources said.

The boy had related details of the ordeal that took place in his grandparents’ house in Tanjung Sepat here in the early hours onWednesday.

The bodies of his grandparents and his two siblings who were allegedly stabbed before they were set on fire will remain at Hospital Banting pending DNA test results of the adults.

According to a hospital spokesman, the post-mortem was expected to be finalised this week and the DNA test results ready by Monday.

The remains of Chia Tee Nang, 73, and Lim Mai Shak, 68, cannot be released even after the post-mortem for both three-year-old Chia Yuan Bin and nine-year-old Ryan Chia Zeng Xi has been completed.

"Although the bodies of the children can be claimed by their next-of-kin, we have to do a DNA test and it will take some time for the final results,” the spokesman said.

Family members met at the mortuary said they have decided to claim all four bodies at the same time, once the procedures are done.

DNA samples of the grandparents were needed for testing by the Chemistry Department in Kuala Lumpur as their bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

The remains of the four victims were discovered in various parts of their wooden home which was razed.

The boys’ parents had gone to work when the tragedy took place.

Police have reclassified the case from arson to murder after slash wounds were discovered on the bodies of the victims.