SINGAPORE - A 65-year-old man will be charged with the murder of his neighbour, a 43-year-old woman, after he was arrested on Jan 6 in Bukit Batok.

When The Straits Times arrived at Block 460B Bukit Batok West Avenue 9 at about 11am, at least four police vehicles, including a Crime Scene Investigation van, were parked at the foot of the block.

Uniformed and plain clothes police officers had cordoned off the corridor leading up to the second-floor unit.

At about 11.30am, a man dressed in full white protective gear which went up to his head was escorted to a police car. ST understands that this is typically done to preserve forensic evidence.

Police officers were reviewing video footage in the police equipment room at the void deck.

The area surrounding the block, including the void deck and public walkway, was cordoned off by police tape.

The police said in a statement on Jan 6 afternoon that they received a call for assistance at about 8.20am, and its officers found the woman lying motionless inside the unit when they arrived.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), which was notified at about 8.25am.

The woman's son, a five-year-old boy, was taken conscious to the National University Hospital for injuries.

The man, the pair's neighbour, was arrested at the scene, the police said.

A neighbour, who declined to be named, told the media earlier on Jan 6 that the man had argued with her frequently over noise. The police had previously been called several times.

At about 2.15pm, plain clothes police officers were seen going through the rubbish in the block's bin centre with a metal rod. A knife, believed to be used in the incident, was seized, the police said.

The man will be charged in court with murder, which carries the death penalty.

Police investigations are ongoing.

In response to queries from ST, MP for Hong Kah North SMC Amy Khor said: "I am deeply saddened by the incident. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and my prayers especially to the child that has been hurt.

"My grassroots (team) and I will find out how we can be of assistance to those who have been affected and provide support as necessary."

Arguments between neighbours concerning noise have been an ongoing issue, with the monthly average of such complaints made to the Housing Board growing eightfold from 400 in 2019 to 3,200 in 2021.

This number decreased to 2,300 in 2022.

During the debate over the Law Ministry's budget in 2023, MPs discussed the need to make mediation between neighbours mandatory for noise disputes, as well as disputes that have resurfaced after mediation, and those in which parties want to file a claim with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.