MELAKA: A planned Hari Raya Aidilfitri visit to a neighbour's apartment in Krubong turned grim when a foul odour led to the discovery of the man's body on Monday (March 23).
Suffian Abdul Majid, 52, said he intended to pay his neighbour a visit later in the day.
However, another resident went to the eighth-floor unit first and knocked on the door but received no response.
"He then called me and informed me of an unpleasant smell coming from inside, before asking me to check," he said when met on Tuesday (March 24).
“When I stood in front of the unit, the smell was indeed very strong and flies were coming out from under the door."
Suffian said he noticed that the neighbour's shoes were outside his unit, and saw his motorcycle parked at ground level below the block.
Noting that the neighbour, 45, suffered from diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, he became worried and immediately called for emergency assistance.
He added that the victim had been living alone following a separation from his wife.
"The authorities later told us that my neighbour is believed to have died four days earlier, based on the decomposition of his body," he added.
Melaka Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Mohd Hafidzatullah Rashid said an emergency call was received at 4.10pm on Monday and a team of six was sent to the scene.
"The team forced open the door of the unit and recovered the victim's body, which was handed over to the police," he said.
