KUALA LUMPUR, JAN 17 — While residents of People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Sri Pantai are still reeling in shock from the death of 15-year-old S. Satiswaran — who was killed by a falling chair, many fear there could be more victims from irresponsible litterers.
When Malay Mail interviewed several residents, they said this incident was not the first, as many have cheated death before.
Satiswaran’s paternal grandfather R. Krishnan,76 said he escaped death just one week ago when a flower vase thrown from above the flat shattered behind him, as he was walking to the lobby of Block 102.
“I was lucky enough that the soil from the vase and only tiny pieces of the glass hit me,” said Krishnan during the Satiswaran’s funeral today.
Another resident, Ibrahim Matra, 45 who lives on the 20th floor said this is the most tragic case he has heard so far living in flats for the past 18 years and fear this incident might repeat again, killing another.
“In the past we had cases like residents getting stitches from falling objects such as glass bottles.
“It is scary that this irresponsible killer is living among us. For all we know, the person could not be bothered about this incident. What guarantees, if they might do it again?,” he said.
Ibrahim went on to say, he believes this incident was the work of an adult who threw the chair.
“No child could have lifted that chair, it would have been too heavy. I hope the authorities looks into this seriously,” he said.
Meanwhile, housewife M. Devi, 35 who attended Satiswaran’s funeral, accompanied by her three daughters aged between three and eight said no family should go through what S. Kasthuri Bai, the mother of the victim is experiencing.
“Live here long enough and soon you will develop the gut instinct to look up every now and then, whenever you are on the ground floor. It is that frequent,” said the resident.
Devi recounts an incident a fortnight ago when she was fetching her youngest daughter from a day care centre.
“I was walking back to my block and narrowly missed an empty glass bottle which fell down beside me and my daughter.
“It broke loudly less than a few steps from my daughter. I shudder to think what could have happened if it hit either of us,” she said.
Devi said glass bottles are not the only thing thrown.
“Plastics and cardboard boxes, even stale curry wrapped in plastic bags are chucked from the corridor balconies. City Hall sends people to check every now and then, but it is impossible to keep an eye on everything,” she added.
Devi firmly believes the identity of the chair thrower should be made known to the public once it is confirmed.
“Let us see who it is. Publicly revealing who it is will make others think twice before throwing rubbish from above the flat again.”
