KOTA KINABALU - A woman died after her husband allegedly set her on fire during an argument while they were drinking at their house in Sabah’s interior town of Sook.

The 41-year-old woman died of burns at the Keningau district hospital on Feb 4, 16 hours after the alleged incident at their house in Kampung Tinagalan on the night of Feb 3.

The couple’s 16-year-old daughter managed to save her younger siblings in the ensuing fire that razed their wooden home.

The police have arrested the 50-year-old man and are investigating the case as murder.

Keningau district police chief Superintendent Yampil Anak Garai said on Feb 5 that the incident apparently occurred during an argument between the couple while they were drinking tapai, a beverage made from fermented rice.

Initial police investigations found that the husband and wife were intoxicated when the argument broke out.

It got out of hand when the wife reportedly challenged her husband to set her on fire after he had threatened to do so, Superintendent Yampil said.

“The suspect reportedly doused his wife with petrol before lighting a match and throwing it at the victim.

“The couple’s 16-year-old daughter immediately took her two younger siblings outside to save them,” he said.

Superintendent Yampil said the teenager then tried to put out the flames on her mother’s body before getting help from her uncle.

He said the suspect himself then took the victim to Sook Clinic for treatment before she was referred to Hospital Keningau.

“However, the victim was confirmed dead at the hospital at 1.41pm on Sunday,” he added.

Superintendent Yampil said the suspect had been remanded until Feb 9 to help with the investigation.

He said the suspect did not have a criminal record and tested negative for drugs. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK