KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — Grief lingered in the air during a Buddhist prayer ceremony conducted by the Jalan Raja Chulan roadside where 24-year-old Chin Khoon Sing died after a sheave hook from a crane at a construction site fell onto her vehicle on Thursday evening.

The victim’s elder brother Khoon Ying and younger brother Khoon Feng arrived at the scene at about 4pm along with a Buddhist priest who led prayers for 20-minutes.

In Buddhist funeral rites, it is believed that the souls who meet tragic and sudden deaths are ‘lost’ as they do not know they have passed on.

The ceremony ‘calls’ these spirits home so they can attain peace as they cross over to the afterlife following the memorial service.

Khoon Ying was visibly distraught and overwhelmed as he led the tearful prayer and broke down several times while ‘speaking’ to the soul of his deceased sister.

Several passing motorists and onlookers slowed down as they passed by the trio who occupied two out of three lanes. The roads were cordoned off by auxiliary police during the ceremony.

Khoon Ying also placed a shirt belonging to his sister on the spot where she died as the ceremony came to an end before breaking down into tears again.

Earlier, Khoon Ying told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary that the construction company contacted the family. He declined to reveal details of what transpired.

The family left immediately after the ceremony without speaking to reporters. Khoon Sing’s wake service will be held in George Town today.

A 25-year-old classmate and friend of Khoon Sing, who wanted to be known as Sue, said she found out about the incident through a mutual friend who worked with Khoon Sing.

She said Khoon Ying was an administrative staff member in a company based in Puchong.

"We studied together at Inti International College Penang. I hope swift action will be taken against those responsible as she did not deserve this,” she said.