KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Malaysia recorded a staggering 476 murder cases nationwide between January 2023 and the end of 2024, according to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).

Citing police data, Harian Metro (HM) reported that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Bukit Aman recorded 261 murder cases in 2023 — an average of five per week, or 21 per month.

From January to November 2024, an additional 215 cases were reported, averaging four murders per week, or around 17 per month.

Selangor registered the highest number of cases over the two-year period, with 115 incidents recorded. This was followed by Perak (60), Johor (59), Sabah (47), and Sarawak (36).

“The high number of murder cases in Selangor is influenced by the size of the area and population density, as well as rapid economic development, which contributes to the influx of foreign workers into the state,” the CID said.

A total of 266 people were killed in 2023 — comprising 212 men and 54 women.

Between January and November 2024, 226 murder victims were recorded, including 87 foreign nationals. According to the CID, analysis showed that foreign nationals were more frequently the victims of murder cases compared to locals, HM reported.

The department also revealed that 185 investigation papers — or 71 per cent of all murder cases in 2023 — led to court charges under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

For the January to November 2024 period, 149 investigation papers, representing 69.3 per cent of cases, were similarly prosecuted under the same section.