JOHOR BARU, Dec 19 — Two female acquaintances of a moneylender murdered at a petrol station here on Sunday performed a brief Taoist ceremony at the site of controversial incident in Taman Pelangi here today.
The two, including a Vietnamese woman believed to be the companion of the slain 44-year-old, took part in the rites with two Taoist monks.
The other woman, believed to be a local, was also the friend who accompanied the Vietnamese woman to collect the man's body at the Sultan Ismail Hospital’s mortuary yesterday.
The four arrived in a blue Proton Saga at around 4.30pm and spent about 45 minutes at the location before leaving.
A team of police personnel and the media were also at the location for the ritual.
The Taoist ceremony performed is believed to be for appeasing “malignant spirits” and to protect the soul of the deceased as well as safeguarding mourners.
On Sunday, the victim now identified as moneylender Tan Ah Choy, was stabbed and run over twice by four men using a white BMW at the Shell petrol station at Jalan Sri Pelangi in Taman Pelangi here.
The 7.30pm incident happened when Tan, then with his Vietnamese companion, had been inflating the tyres of his Volkswagen Polo car at the petrol station.
The incident was recorded by a bystander and has since been shared online.
