MALAYSIA, GEORGE TOWN - A housing broker drowned while having a swim at the pool of her friend's condominium in Batu Ferringhi near here.

It is learnt that Carmen Tan, 28, cried for help when she got into difficulty at about 5.30pm yesterday and her friend immediately sought the help of the condominium's security guard.

The guard managed to pull Tan out from the pool and tried to resuscitate her but to no avail.

Ambulance personnel who arrived later pronounced her dead.

Tan had earlier left her Gurney Drive home at about 3.30pm to go to her friend's condominium.

Her sister, Sook Fung, said they received a call informing them about the incident at about 6.30pm and quickly rushed to the scene.

Tan is the third in a family of four siblings.

Her mother, grandmother and brothers were too distraught to speak to reporters at the Penang Hospital mortuary.

At one point, her mother fell onto the floor and sat there crying.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said they had brought Tan's friend to the police station to assist in investigations.

A post mortem will be conducted on the victim today.