SINGAPORE, July 19 — A Singaporean man has been arrested in Bali after Indonesian police alleged he strangled his girlfriend to death in a rented room before fleeing, with officers tracking him down within three hours.

The man, identified only by the initials MZ, was arrested by a joint police team after the body of a 26-year-old Indonesian woman was discovered in a rental unit in Denpasar, Bali police said. 

Singapore-based media organisation CNA reported the arrest on Thursday, citing Indonesian authorities.

Police said the victim, who was from Central Java, had been in a relationship with the suspect for about a year.

A police spokesman said preliminary investigations indicated the alleged motive was resentment, with the suspect accused of strangling the woman for about 15 minutes.

Immigration records also showed the suspect had entered Bali as a tourist and had overstayed his visa since 2025, police said.

The woman’s younger brother discovered her body after going to the rental unit when he was unable to contact her, according to Indonesian news outlet Detiknews.

Detiknews reported that the brother noticed a foul odour coming from the property. When he asked the suspect where his sister was, the man allegedly remained silent before fleeing on a motorcycle. The brother then entered the room and found his sister’s body.

Another woman, identified only as DP, told police she had recently begun dating the suspect after meeting him at a billiards outlet in Denpasar where she worked, according to CNN Indonesia.

She said she had also noticed the foul smell when she visited the rental unit. When she later questioned the suspect about the odour, he allegedly became angry, the report said.

CNA reported that it has contacted Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on the arrest.

Indonesian police said investigations are continuing.