THE family of the university undergraduate who allegedly stabbed his professor and then fell to his death yesterday asked the Coroner's Court to postpone the second leg of the inquiry into the death.

The father and brother of the late David Hartanto Widjaja cited work commitments as the reason for the request, which was turned down by the court.

The former Nanyang Technological University student's father, Mr Hartono Widjaja, said in a letter to State Coroner Victor Yeo that he was unable to stay for this part of the inquiry because he had to be back at work in Jakarta today. His son William, 24, who is to take the stand next week, also has to work. He was not in court with his parents yesterday.

The Coroner, rejecting their request, said the family had been informed of the inquiry dates in advance. He advised the family to plead with their employers for leave to attend the hearing.

State Counsel Shahla Iqbal added that postponing the inquiry would also inconvenience the witnesses who had already taken time off to testify.

Mr Widjaja told reporters it was unlikely the family would be able to return for the rest of the inquiry. The family's lawyer Shashi Nathan said he would try at least to get William to testify on the family's behalf.

The family had hoped to call nine more witnesses to the stand, all Indonesians who knew the dead young man. Five have been interviewed by the police.

Forensic scientist Lim Chin Chin had another day on the stand yesterday to take questions about the items she examined from the scene - a shirt and singlet belonging to Associate Professor Chan Kap Luk, a broken knife blade and handle, a pair of slippers, two chairs and a folder in Prof Chan's office.

She testified that the blood spatters on Prof Chan's shirt also bore Mr Widjaja's DNA, indicating that the professor and student were near each other. She added that the spatters could also have been cast from a struggle, such as when an arm swings downwards, or from a knife.

She said the rips on Prof Chan's shirt and singlet were likely to have been made by a sharp object, such as a knife.

Mr Widjaja's DNA was also found in bloodstains on the other objects.

The hearing continues today.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.