They had to go to the Criminal Investigation Department in the Police Cantonment Complex to give statements on what they knew about the murder of a co-worker on Saturday evening.

At about 7.15pm, the 41-year-old Malaysian had stumbled out of a room on the ground floor of a three-storey building with a knife lodged in her chest.

A man living in the neighbouring unit said he had heard a scream and rushed over to see what happened. The victim's co-workers, who also rushed out to help, found her lying face-up on the floor.

Around midday yesterday, scores of women working in the neighbouring brothels in Flanders Square, a dead-end street off Petain Road, were seen leaving in a convoy of taxis and cars.

Some returned in small groups about two hours later but declined to reveal more about the murder.

Police have yet to make an arrest but they do have a suspect in mind. A spokesman described him as dark-complexioned and about 1.65m tall.

Neighbours believe he was a regular patron of the victim, nicknamed Coco.

Tall, slim and attractive, she was known as an ang pai, which means she was among the most popular prostitutes in the area.

She worked in one of about 10 brothels on the ground floor of a row of three-storey buildings. The second and third floors house mainly foreign workers.

The area is known for its older prostitutes whose hourly charges are as low as $20. An 'ang pai' like Coco could command fees of about $40.

A regular in the area, who declined to be named, described her as rather arrogant and aloof because of her popularity.

The brothels are patronised mostly by elderly residents and foreign workers because of the low charges.

The woman's family, who had come from Johor Baru, were at the mortuary yesterday morning to identify the body.

They declined to speak to reporters.

Last night, at least five brothels in the area, including the one that Coco had worked at, remained closed.

tansle@sph.com.sg