While it is normal for couples to have disagreements, some may take it too far and resort to violence.
Unfortunately, this can happen even after a mere misunderstanding.
In 2019, Fong Tuck Whye stabbed his wife, Madam Lee Siew Cheng, with four knives when he suspected that she was cheating on him.
Fong, now 67, was sentenced to five years’ jail on Friday (6 May) for one charge of attempted culpable homicide.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Fong, a former driver, started suspecting that his wife was cheating on him sometime in 2016.
That year, Madam Lee sought assistance from social service agencies as she thought her husband had a mental illness. This was after he reportedly became more ‘protective’ of her, preventing her from leaving home alone or carrying a phone.
The head of a community services centre, a man, visited their home to deliver food in Feb 2016.
Later that month, Fong visited the centre and accused the head of being an “imposter”.
He even told his wife’s siblings that she was cheating on him with the centre head, but they did not believe him.
TODAY reports that Fong attacked Madam Lee in Aug 2019. They had been married for about 30 years at that point.
Earlier in the year, Madam Lee, who has polio and has been in a wheelchair since 2006, had a bad fall. She moved into her brother’s home so he could care for her, and Fong would sometimes stay with them.
One morning, Fong allegedly woke his wife up and started stabbing and slashing her multiple times. Court documents state that he did so to prevent the social services centre head from taking her away.
He also sprayed her eyes with insecticide and stabbed her in her private parts to prevent her from having an affair.
Police found the victim in a pool of blood with a knife still in her body, states CNA. Fong was arrested at the scene.
The assault left his wife’s face permanently disfigured. She also suffered wounds on her chest, abdomen, and upper limbs, and her right ear was partially amputated.
Fong and his now ex-wife, now 63, divorced in 2021. Fortunately, she is reportedly recovering well both physically and psychologically.
After the incident, Fong apparently underwent a psychiatric examination at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
Doctors diagnosed him with late-onset psychosis, most likely delusional disorder. They reported that his pathological jealousy and persecutory beliefs resulted in an abnormal state of mind when he attacked his wife.
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A psychiatrist noted that Fong is a “highly dangerous individual” and raised involuntary detention in a psychiatric institution as the best option. The accused was sentenced to five years’ jail.
High Court judge Valerie Thean said imprisonment would protect people from Fong while giving him a structured environment to undergo psychiatric treatment, The Straits Times (ST) reports.
It would also allow professionals enough time to make a proper decision about his long-term care and future.
Suspecting your significant other of cheating is upsetting for anyone. However, such violence can never be justified, especially if the victim is vulnerable and cannot fend for themselves.
MS News wishes Madam Lee a speedy recovery from both the physical and psychological damage from her traumatic experience.
We also hope that Fong will receive the necessary treatment so that such an incident will not occur again.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News.
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