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TAWAU - A woman had a terrifying moment when her husband threatened her with a machete after she expressed her wish for a divorce while they were travelling from Tawau to Semporna last Friday.
The incident is believed to have occurred after the vehicle driven by the suspect, who is in his 40s, stopped at the Check Point area, Kilometre 52, here.
Tawau district police deputy chief Superintendent Wilynton Enchana Watt said following a report received, the suspect, also a local man, was tracked down in Tawau town before being detained at around 2am.
"Initial investigations found that the female victim, a foreign national in her 30s, was with the suspect travelling from Tawau to Semporna before the suspect stopped their vehicle at the scene.
"The suspect then got out of the vehicle and went to the back before taking out a short machete and pointing it at the victim, who was inside the car, while making threatening remarks.
"The victim and suspect then struggled over the machete before the victim lodged a police report for further action," he said in a statement on Monday.
According to him, further investigations found the incident is believed to have stemmed from the victim's wish to divorce the suspect.
"A vehicle and its key were also seized. The suspect has been detained and the case is being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code," he said.
Wilynton stressed that police would take action against any individual who commits criminal intimidation and would ensure the victim's safety remains a priority.
