Credit: Persatuan Haiwan Malaysia - Malaysia Animal Association Facebook
KUALA LUMPUR: The man believed to be involved in the case involving the discovery of tens of cat skeletons and carcasses in a condominium unit in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras here was described by neighbours as an animal lover.
A neighbour who lives on the same floor as the suspect, Halijah Ahmad, 63, said the 31-year-old man, who likes things to be clean and tidy, has cats as pets at home.
"He has a chubby figure, but for the past one or two months he lost weight and has become very thin. He also looked messy.
"I asked him why he looked so thin and he said he was sick and needed to go to the hospital for treatment," she told Bernama on Saturday (March 25).
Halijah said that about two weeks after talking to the man, she smelled something bad but thought it was just the smell of rotten shrimp shells that had not been removed from an upstairs unit that was used as a homestay.
"I reported it to the management and when they went upstairs, there was no smell at all. The smell actually came from the carcasses placed in a white box in front of the suspect's house," she said.
Halijah said that after the incident, the management together with the owner of the house filed a police report.
Meanwhile, another neighbour who only wanted to be known as Din said that there were many stray cats in the condominium area, but lately the number had been decreasing.
"Residents are not allowed to keep pets, but based on my observation there are many residents who do not follow the rules," he said.
Meanwhile, Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Zam Halim Jamaluddin said they received a report regarding the incident on March 13 and have opened investigation papers according to Section 428 of the Penal Code.
On Friday (March 24), the Malaysia Animal Association (MAA), on its Facebook post, said that a homeowner made a gruesome discovery of skeletons, organs and cat carcasses in a condo unit rented by the suspect.
The act came to light after the neighbours in the condominium complained about a foul stench emanating from the house.
MAA also urged the Department of Veterinary Services to conduct a thorough probe into the matter.- Bernama
