SEREMBAN: The defence team representing a former lecturer charged with the murder of her husband told the High Court here they will be filing a representation to the Attorney General to review the charge.
Lawyer Kitson Foong, who appeared for 58-year-old Lau Seck Yan, told judge Rohani Ismail that the decision to file a representation was made following new developments in the case.
"Following this, my client has instructed us to file a representation to the charge she is facing.
"We wish to state here that our intention is not to delay proceedings.
"We will state our reasons for an alternative charge in the representation and if accepted, it will save the court's time," he said, adding that he would try to file the representation by Monday (March 3).
He then suggested to the court to fix April 11 for case management.
Rohani had on April 19, 2023, fixed the trial from March 3 to 7 and 17 to 21, 2025, after Lau pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering her 55-year-old husband Poh Seng Hiap.
Lau, who had previously contested as an independent in the Port Dickson by-election in 2018, allegedly committed the offence at their home at the Rasah Kemayan Golf and Country Township near here between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Jan 23 the same year.
Poh, an accountant, was reportedly stabbed in the chest and abdomen.
Lau was then charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty upon conviction. The couple have four daughters.
When Lau was first charged at the Magistrate's Court on Jan 28, 2022, she was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Permai in Johor Baru.
Following the application from Lau's defence team, Rohani fixed May 26 to continue with the trial.
When contacted later, Foong said he hoped to get a reply to the representation within a month.
"If the prosecution is agreeable to our proposal for an amended charge, then we hope to proceed with it quickly.
"We too do not wish to prolong the matter," he said.
Foong was assisted by Chew Jee San and Vivian Yew Zhi Xuan while Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar prosecuted.
