Family Of M'sian Student Murdered In Taiwan To Receive RM300,000 As Compensation

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According to China Press, Ciaotou District Prosecutors' Office said it has approved the application filed by the deceased's family members to receive bereavement damages.

Murder victim Irene Chung's family members will be awarded more than TWD2 million (about RM300,000) to compensate for funeral and interment expenses.

The bereavement award also covers expenses for support and emotional distress.

The deceased's family is entitled to the damages in accordance with Article 6 of the Crime Victim Protection Act.

The compensation will be given to the family once they submit the required information to the relevant department.

EBC News reported that the state will pay for the damages first before seeking compensation from the defendants.

However, because the murder suspect has no property under his name, it is believed that the state will have to foot the bill or the suspect will have to work in prison to make up for the payment, among other methods.

Taiwan News reported that President Tsai's admittance led to the family filing a civil suit against Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU), the Tainan City Council, and the Taiwanese government.

CJCU was where Chung studied. Chung's family lawyer Yap Hoi Liong said last year that the victim's death could have been avoided if the university acted on a complaint that recorded the 28-year-old suspect attempting to commit the same act on 29 September 2020.

"About a month earlier on 29 September, it was reported that another CJCU student had almost become the victim of the same suspect. If they had taken up that case, we strongly believe it would not have led to Chung's death," The Star quoted Yap as saying.

Following that, in late December last year, the president and deans of general affairs and student affairs resigned over Chung's death.

According to Taiwan News, Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE) said president of the Tainan-based university, Lee Yung-lung, took the blame for the Malaysian student's murder, and Dean of Student Affairs Tu Chia-ling and Dean of General Affairs Yen Yi-wen followed suit.

Liang forced Chung into a car. He initially claimed that he placed a rope around Chung's neck to try to restrain her, but accidentally tightened too much during the struggle, reported Taiwan News.

However, he later confessed that he strangled the victim after sexually assaulting her.

In the wake of the murder, the Taiwanese President expressed her apologies to Chung's family members, as well as the people of Malaysia.

Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang said the incident has tarnished Taiwan's image as a safe and friendly nation, and exposed problems in the society that must be assessed to ensure that such a tragedy does not occur again.

Chung's parents — who are from Sibu, Sarawak — had flown to Taiwan to make arrangements for their daughter's funeral. The Star reported at the time that they wanted Liang to be tried for murder, which carries a mandatory death sentence.

Liang's parents then extended their wish to meet Chung's parents, saying in an apology statement that, "A life for a life will be the best answer for you. No matter how many apologies we offer, nothing can make up for your pain."

"We are truly sorry that our mistakes in his education and upbringing caused such a big problem in society."

Chung's family reportedly refused to meet them.