PUBLISHED ONOctober 21, 2025 4:15 AMBYKoh Xing YingNearly 500 people gathered for the funeral of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, who was fatally stabbed at a secondary school in Selangor.
On Monday (Oct 20), family members, teachers, classmates, and friends paid their last respects during a memorial service held at Kuala Lumpur's Imperial Memorial Hall at 9.30am, reported The Star.
Among the mourners were more than 30 teachers and students from SMK Bandar Utama Damansara, many of whom are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.
"She was always smiling, always helping others. It's so hard to believe she's gone," said a friend of the victim.
According to The Star, many attendees brought flowers, photographs, and handwritten notes to honour the girl, who was remembered for her kindness, infectious laughter, and love for volleyball.
As the service drew to a close around 11am, the hearse slowly made its way out of the memorial centre.
As a symbolic gesture, 100 blue and white balloons — Yap's favourite colours— were released to honour her memory, reported the New Straits Times.
In an Instagram post uploaded on Monday, Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh paid tribute, describing the victim as someone who loved playing volleyball and led an active life.
"As the nation bids farewell to our young Shing Xuen today, KBS Malaysia honoured her by placing our Team MAS jersey (volleyball jersey) in her resting place," Yeoh wrote.
She added that she had informed the girl's mother that she wanted Yap to have the national jersey, as she believed the teen would have loved it.
"Malaysia mourns with them. In the days to come, I will do whatever I can to fight the incel culture among the young," said Yeoh, offering her condolences and prayers to the grieving family.
Incel culture is often associated with men who are unhappy due to a lack of romantic relationships and direct their resentment toward women.
The tragedy unfolded on Oct 14 at around 9.30 am, when a 14-year-old schoolboy fatally attacked Yap in a toilet in school.
At a press conference, the girl's mother reportedly stated that her daughter was stabbed 200 times.
Investigations revealed that there had been no prior relationship or known interaction between the victim and the suspect.
Police have since arrested the suspect, who has been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation.
A post-mortem examination has been conducted, and the pathology report is expected to be completed within a month, reported The Star.
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com
