Melaka Tengah police chief Christopher Patit said the victim was found lying on the veranda of his house by his brother, with three stab wounds to the chest, at about 8.30pm, Bernama reported.

He said initial investigations found that the suspect went to the victim’s house to retrieve his mobile phone when a fight broke out between them.

“During the struggle, the victim was believed to have been stabbed in the chest with a machete,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, in a statement today, Melaka police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the suspect was arrested last night after trying to hide in an unlocked vehicle inside a nearby building.

He added that the 43-year-old suspect has been remanded for seven days from today, and that the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

Dzulkhairi said the suspect also has a prior criminal record for various criminal and drug-related offences.