Brickfields police chief Anuar Omar said the four will be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty upon conviction, and read with Section 34 of the same code.

Wan Hassan Wan Embong, 71, was reported to have been slashed with a parang when he tried to put up a fight against burglars who broke in through the kitchen window of his double-storey bungalow at about 3.30am.

His wife, Sarifah Yusof, 70, suffered slash wounds on the right hand.

Anuar said the same suspects will also be charged with armed robbery in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.

They will be charged under Section 395 and Section 397 of the Penal Code, which prescribes penalties for gang robbery and gang robbery with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.