KLANG: The family of the Indian national who perished in the 2024 Jalan Masjid India sinkhole tragedy officially received her death certificate on Wednesday (May 6), enabling their legal team to begin the process of claiming compensation from the authorities.
The family's lawyer, M. Partiben, said the document was handed over by the National Registration Department in Putrajaya to Surya Madhaiha, 28, the son of G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48.
"The focus has now shifted fully to claiming the family's rights, and we hope the authorities will expedite the compensation process to reduce the family's expenses while they remain in Malaysia," he said at a press conference here on Thursday (May 7).
"The next step is to arrange meetings with the special officer to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh, as well as Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud, in the near future to discuss the compensation amount," he added.
Partiben said the compensation claim covers multiple elements, including damages for bereavement, funeral costs, special damages and exemplary damages following the incident, allegedly due to negligence in maintenance by the local authorities.
He also suggested that the government refer to a Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court decision on March 24, which ordered the Kuala Lumpur Mayor to pay RM824,180 in damages to the family of a victim killed by a falling tree due to maintenance negligence near the Selayang Market on March 22, 2023.
"A comparison should be made because in this sinkhole tragedy, the cause has also been linked to underground utility negligence and geological factors. We hope the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall will make a reasonable assessment," he said.
Meanwhile, another lawyer, Muhamad Saifullah Muhamad Azmi, said the issuance of the death certificate has brought some relief to the family, who are now facing financial pressure as the deceased was the main breadwinner.
He said the document was urgently needed to settle the deceased's outstanding debts with Indian banks and prevent any further action against the family.
On Aug 23, 2024, Vijaya Lakshmi, originally from Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India, was reported missing after falling into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India.
Extensive search and rescue operations were conducted for nine days before being called off due to safety concerns for the rescue team. – Bernama
