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CRIME SCENE: The workers' dormitory (above) is home to Indian and Bangladeshi labourers. -- BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
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A MALAYSIAN was found stabbed to death at a workers' dormitory in Tuas yesterday morning.
The man, 23-year-old Mr Sangga Anak Runggah from Sarawak, was working as a cleaner at the building located at 35 Tech Park Crescent, said police.
His body was discovered inside a steel storage room that doubles as a rest area, The Straits Times understands.
Mr Sangga was found lying face up on the floor, covered in blood and clad only in black underwear, said police.
He had stab wounds on his chest and arms and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics at around 10.30am.
Police have not made any arrests yet in the case.
Several workers who were returning to their dormitory were shocked to find policemen in the compound of the building, which is home to Indian and Bangladeshi labourers. All said they did not know about the murder.
A middle-aged man - who is believed to be the dormitory's manager - also declined to comment except to say that the five-storey building had been sold to a new owner.
This was confirmed by several people who worked in other dormitories in the area.
One of them, Mr G.R. Gabriel, said the dormitory once housed as many as 500 workers, mainly from Bangladesh and India.
But workers were told to leave by the end of this month because the building was being taken over by the new owner, he added.
The area around Tech Park Crescent is home to foreign workers who are known to fight, sometimes with glass bottles, on the streets. Police patrols are also a common sight.
Mr Gabriel, 42, who works as a security guard at a similar dormitory next door, said that he was 'shocked' when he heard about the murder as Mr Sangga seemed like a 'quiet and hardworking' man.
He had last seen him on Thursday morning.
He said Mr Sangga was about 1.6m tall and had waist-length hair which he would sometimes tie up in a ponytail.
There were three other cleaners who worked at the dormitory and Mr Sangga would sweep the pavement in front of the building daily at about 7am, said Mr Gabriel.
But when The Straits Times arrived at the scene yesterday afternoon, the pavement was littered with dead leaves.
carolynq@sph.com.sg
sujint@sph.com.sg
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