PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - An old woman was murdered while trying to protect the family jewellery worth more than RM100,000($40,890) in a break-in at her flat in Desa Mentari, Bandar Sunway, here on Saturday night.

A. Kuppu was believed to have been slashed several times in her bedroom while her great granddaughter, M. Suvetha, 6, was asleep in the next room.

It is learnt that after killing the 76-year-old Kuppu, the robber woke up Suvetha and asked for soap to wash his bloodied hands.

He told the girl that Kuppu was asleep and asked her to point out where the jewellery was kept. The girl led the robber to the room where the jewellery was kept, which is now missing.

Kuppu's granddaughter, K. Mani, 49, a factory worker, said the incident occurred just after 8pm when she left the flat to begin her shift duty.

"We believe the robber slipped into the flat unnoticed while my grandmother was sending me off to the factory bus," said Mani.

"The three of us lived in the flat with my son M. Vikneswaran, 21, who was at work at the time.

"It was he who discovered the body when he came home just after midnight."

Kuppu was from Kuala Ketil, Kedah, and was formerly a rubber tapper.

"She came to stay here in April to help look after Suvetha after my mother passed away."

Mani said that although traumatised, Suvetha related what happened to the family when the body was discovered.

She called the killer "uncle" and seemed to know him.

"He told Suvetha to sleep on the couch and not disturb Kuppu as she was 'resting'. He then asked her to open the front door for him when he left," Mani said.

Petaling Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Arjunaidi Mohamed confirmed the incident and did not discount the possibility that the suspect is known to the family.