Malaysian man about to cremate ‘son’ gets phone call, telling him he has the wrong body
Sungai Buloh Prison | The Star/Asia News Network
PETALING JAYA – A mourning father from the state of Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia was shocked to find out that his son, whom authorities said had died in prison last week, is still alive.
The father, who only wanted to be identified as Mr Chantren, told Malay daily Sinar Harian that the family’s ordeal started when he received a call from the prison authorities on March 3 saying his son, whom he did not name, had died in Sungai Buloh Prison.
He said he did not know why his son, 19, was in prison. As far as he knows, his son was living and working in the town of Selayang in Selangor.
Mr Chantren was told to claim his son’s remains at the Sungai Buloh Hospital which he did together with several other family members.
“When we looked (at the remains), we noticed that the face was different after post-mortem because there were suture marks and his hair had also been shaved,” he told reporters when met at his house.
Upon claiming the body from the hospital, a sad Mr Chantren and his family prepared for funeral rites and made arrangements to cremate their son’s remains.
However, to the family’s surprise, they were informed just a few hours before the cremation that the youth was still alive.
“We received a call from the prison authority about three or four hours before the cremation time – and they informed us that my son was still alive.
“They did a video call (to show). I do not know how to even express my feelings. Our son is still alive, but whose body is at our house now?” the perplexed man said.
According to Mr Chantren, officials from the prison had since gone to his house and collected the body.
Mr Chantren has also requested to meet his son in prison.
