TELUK INTAN, Nov 4 — A man died after being ambushed and slashed by three machete-wielding assailants outside a shop here yesterday afternoon, prompting police to arrest a 27-year-old local woman to assist in a murder investigation.

Hilir Perak district police headquarters dispatched officers to the scene after receiving an emergency 999 call from a member of the public at 3.53pm on Tuesday reporting a violent assault in progress in front of a shophouse.

The victim, who sustained catastrophic injuries in the attack, was rushed to Teluk Intan Hospital, where attending medical officers pronounced him dead in the emergency department.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that the victim was set upon by three unidentified men armed with machetes, who fled the area immediately following the attack. The motive behind the deadly assault remains under active investigation.

Detectives subsequently arrested the 27-year-old local woman to help establish the sequence of events leading up to the killing.

The case has been classified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, alongside mandatory whipping of not less than 12 strokes upon conviction.

Hilir Perak police chief ACP Chua Kok Lian said in a statement today that investigators are appealing for eyewitnesses who observed the incident, or anyone who spotted suspicious individuals and vehicles near the scene around the time of the assault.

Members of the public with relevant information are urged to contact the Hilir Perak district police headquarters at 05-629 9222 or visit the nearest police station.

Chua also urged the community to refrain from circulating unverified claims on social media, warning that online speculation could compromise ongoing investigative work.