Two British medical students have been stabbed to death after leaving a bar in the Borneo city, where they were on a hospital placement.
The two men, named by Newcastle University as Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger (both 22) died when they were attacked by a group of men, according to local police in Kuching.
Four men have been arrested following the murders in the Jalan Padungan district.
The fourth-year students were in the Malaysian part of the island in Sarawak province on attachment to a hospital in Kuching, the university's acting vice-chancellor Professor Tony Stevenson said.
Prof Stevenson said in a statement "We were informed this morning of the very sad news that two of our fourth-year medical students working at a hospital in Kuching, Borneo, have been tragically killed".
"Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, both 22, were on a six-week work placement, along with five other medical students, to put the skills they had learnt during their time here at the university into practice".
"This has come as a huge shock to us all and our thoughts are with their families and friends at this very difficult time".
"Two of our members of staff are flying out to Kuching as soon as possible and we are working closely with the British high commissioner to support the other students and to co-ordinate their return to the UK" he added.
The students were due to finish their placement on Friday.
'Stab wounds in the chest and back'
Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung said the arrests were made two hours after the 4:15am attack, the Malaysian State News Agency Bernama reported. A knife was also recovered.
Dr Chai said a police forensic team found the first victim lying face down on the road with two stab wounds in the chest and two in the back.
The second victim was lying on a path, about two metres from the first victim, with a single stab wound to his chest.
The Borneo Post reported that they were attacked by a group of men as they made their way back to a backpacker lodge from a bar in the early hours. It followed a row in the bar over noise.
The students' bodies are at Sarawak General Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
