MARCH 19 — A serial killer is generally defined as someone who murders three or more victims over an extended period, with distinct intervals between each crime.
The defining features are consistent: these killings are typically calculated, recurring, and fuelled by psychological motives.
While serial killing is a well-documented phenomenon in Western countries, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, the existence and understanding of serial killers in Malaysia remain limited and underexplored.
This may be due to differences in law enforcement classification systems, media framing, and cultural variations in violent crime reporting.
Moreover, serial killers are often only identified when law enforcement detects a pattern across multiple murders, linking them through consistent methods, victimology, or other signature elements.
Without such pattern recognition, cases may be treated as isolated homicides, delaying or even preventing the identification of a serial offender.
Currently, Malaysia’s legal and policing systems tend to categorise repeat offenders as recidivists or “bola hitam” (in prison) rather than applying the “serial killer” label.
In Malaysia, factors such as strong familial and community ties, religious and cultural prohibitions, lower homicide rates compared to other South-east Asian countries, and strict firearm regulations are frequently cited as societal deterrents.
Nonetheless, isolated cases have exhibited characteristics of serial murder.
Notable examples include P. Kalimuthu (“Bentong Kali”), a notorious gang member linked to at least 17 murders, although most were gang-related rather than serial in the psychological sense.
Similarly, Lee Chow Meng, convicted for a series of violent crimes in the 1980s, including rape, murder, and robbery, was ultimately sentenced for a single homicide.
Although these cases may not fully align with Western definitions of serial killing driven by psychopathy or compulsion, they exhibit elements of premeditation, victim targeting, and repeated violent behaviour.
Globally, serial killers tend to display common traits such as early-life trauma, psychopathy or antisocial tendencies, a compulsion for control or domination, and the selection of specific victim types.
Their crimes are often driven by psychological gratification, deep-seated fantasies, or perceived grievances. They also frequently exploit marginalised or less visible groups, complicating detection and apprehension efforts.
A persistent issue surrounding serial killing is its tendency to be romanticised rather than universally condemned.
Disproportionate attention is often given to the killer’s psyche and methods, overshadowing the suffering of victims and compounding the trauma experienced by their families, who must witness the public sensationalisation of these criminals.
A persistent issue surrounding serial killing is its tendency to be romanticised rather than universally condemned. — Unsplash pic
While extensive research on serial killers has been conducted in the US, UK, and other Western nations, limited academic focus has been placed on understanding what motivates serial killers in Malaysia, or how local cases might differ in context and execution from those in the West.
As a result, local discourse tends to borrow heavily from Western criminological frameworks, often overlooking Malaysia’s cultural and societal nuances.
This overreliance on Western-centric theories risks mischaracterising Malaysian offenders and limits the development of culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for localised research that critically examines serial killings within Malaysia’s unique socio-cultural and criminological context.
By moving beyond Western frameworks and focusing on context-specific motivations, patterns, and offender profiles, we can foster a more accurate understanding of serial homicide in Malaysia, enhance victim-centred approaches, and inform more effective law enforcement and policy responses.
* Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid is a Criminologist and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
