Princess held over co-wife's murder

Police investigating the murder of the wife of a Malaysian prince have detained another wife in connection with the crime.

Raja Nor Mahani was remanded in custody during a preliminary court appearance but was not charged.

She is the older first wife of Raja Jaafar Muda Musa, who is second in line to become Sultan of the Malaysian state of Perak.

His second wife, Hazleza Ishak - a 26-year-old former model and actress, known as Princess Leza - was abducted from her car early this month.

Her bound and gagged body was found days later beneath a bridge in the state of Perak, north of Kuala Lumpur.

Under Islamic law, men in Malaysia can take up to four wives, though the practice is rare among ordinary people.

Raja Nor Mahani, 60, was detained on Thursday afternoon at her palace in Ipoh, 170 kilometres (100 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur.

Her lawyer, Muhammad Shafee, told reporters she was "very upset with the whole thing".

Five men appeared in another court on Thursday charged with murder, or with aiding and abetting the crime.

Malaysia's royals

Princess Leza appeared in a local movie, "Putera", several years ago. She was said to be a divorcee and is variously reported as having one or two children from her previous marriage.

Palace sources say she married Raja Jaafar in January this year.

Nine of Malaysia's states have royal families and the nine rulers take it in turns to be head of state with the title passing to a new king or yang di-pertuan agong every five years.

The current king, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, was sworn in last December after the death of Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

Malaysian royals are treated with considerable deference and lead privileged lives.

Although the rulers wield very little political power they play a prominent ceremonial role. It is widely considered taboo to criticise them.