A Malaysian teenager, who was 14 at the time of the incident, has been acquitted of the murder of a 16-year-old schoolmate. The judge presiding over the closed-court trial ruled that the defendant was mentally unsound when he fatally stabbed Yap Shing Xuen in a school restroom near Kuala Lumpur.

During the proceedings, the defense argued that the boy suffered from long-term mental health issues. A psychiatrist testified that the defendant had been experiencing delusions and symptoms of schizophrenia since the age of nine, a condition that reportedly deteriorated during the pandemic. While the court acquitted the boy, he has been ordered to remain in a psychiatric hospital for treatment. He will be subject to annual assessments and will only be released when deemed fit to return to society.

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The case drew significant national attention, fueling a broader debate regarding the influence of social media on youth. Following the incident, which some observers compared to themes of online radicalization in media, the Malaysian government implemented stricter regulations. As of June, children under 16 are prohibited from holding accounts on major social media platforms, a move Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suggested was necessary to address violence in schools linked to digital content.

A defense lawyer noted that the teenager appeared to understand the gravity of the situation despite his neutral demeanor during the verdict. Due to his status as a minor, the defendant's identity remains protected by law.

Source: BBC News