ALOR GAJAH: Authorities are still trying to determine the victim's gender and cause of death in the murder investigation involving skeletal remains found in a cement-filled barrel near the Durian Tunggal Dam reserve in Machap Baru here.
It is understood that clothing, including a sarong, shirt and trousers, was also found with the remains.
Alor Gajah OCPD Supt Ahmad Abu Bakar said preliminary findings from the post-mortem examination, which entered its second day on Tuesday (Sept 15), confirmed the bones and skull were human.
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"However, the victim’s sex and cause of death have yet to be determined and we are awaiting the outcome of the ongoing examination.
"The case has been classified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said on Tuesday (Sept 15).
The remains were discovered at 11.40am on Sunday (Sept 13) after three anglers spotted a blue barrel found by the dam, about 15m below road level.
The anglers cut open a small section of the barrel to inspect its contents, noticed objects believed to be bones, and called the police.
An initial inspection found cement covering the upper section of the barrel, while the skull had become detached from the rest of the remains. No tissue was found attached to the bones.
Firefighters helped hoist the barrel to the road before it was transported to Hospital Melaka for further examination.
