Police to question woman over stabbing of HK man

JAKARTA (JP): Police detectives are scheduled to question a woman in connection with a brutal attack on a Chinese man from Hong Kong, who suffered 19 stab wounds in the back and stomach.

Jakarta Police detectives chief for violent crimes Comr. Sinaga identified the victim as Lai Ho Yen, 45, and said that the police were scheduled to summon a local woman, identified only as Wiwi, over the stabbing.

"Wiwi is allegedly a very close friend of Lai Ho Yen. We have yet to question her, but we are planning to. Lai himself is in a critical condition," Sinaga told reporters on Thursday morning after a visit to the intensive care unit of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta, where Lai is being treated.

Barely alive, Lai was found with his mouth gagged and in handcuffs on Wednesday night, by two security guards, M. Nasir and Agustiar, at the hydrothermal power station in North Jakarta.

The guards, Sinaga said, had the good sense to rush Lai to a hospital. As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, Lai was still receiving treatment at RSCM where doctors stated that his chances of survival were very slim.

"We believe Lai was stabbed somewhere in the Lokasari entertainment complex in Tamansari, West Jakarta, before he was dumped outside the power plant office in North Jakarta by his attacker, who obviously tried to murder him," Sinaga told reporters.

Lai is registered as a resident of Jl. Kartini in Central Jakarta.

"It's a wonder that he is still alive."

Separately, an official from the Chinese Embassy, Yang Pei Tung, confirmed on Thursday that Lai was Chinese.

"Yes, he's definitely Chinese. He has visited the Chinese Embassy a few times and I remember his face very well. His Hong Kong driver's license number is H-110222," Yang told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

Yang met Lai's wife at the general hospital, who told him that Lai was supposed to return to Hong Kong on Dec. 30 last year.

"Mr. Lai's wife, Liu Fie Kim, said that Mr. Lai had arrived in Jakarta on Dec. 28 last year and was supposed to return to Hong Kong on Dec. 30, when suddenly he received a telephone call from a friend. We do not know who this friend was," Yang said.

He added that Mr Lai's "friend" had asked to meet him on Jan. 3 at the Quality Hotel.

Hotels belonging to this chain are located at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and at Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta No. 70 in Central Jakarta. The latter address is very close to the crime scene at the Lokasari entertainment complex in West Jakarta.

The mystery, Yang said, started here.

"First, he told Mme. Liu that the meeting was in room no. 501 of the hotel. The meeting was suddenly shifted to room no. 907, and then to room no. 805. This was strange. Mme. Liu lost contact with her husband after 1 a.m. on Thursday," Yang said.

"From what I saw of Mr. Lai, the 'friend' who called him must have had some dispute with him. Lai... he's been hurt very badly." (ylt)