Elderly man dies alone in shophouse: He had put aside outfit to wear for Hari Raya

The New Paper
April 26, 2023

A trauma cleaner in Singapore shared a story on TikTok about a recent job involving an elderly Malay man who had died alone in a rental unit above a shophouse. 

The cleaners were called in just two days before Hari Raya, though the deceased had most certainly died some weeks before. 

The body was only discovered when fluid seeped through the floor, down into the shop below. 

The short video showed a mattress soaked and stained with fluids in the small unit. The surrounding floor was covered in paper towels, used to absorb the fluids.

In the caption, DDQ Services wrote that when they entered the room, the water was ankle-deep. It was a mix of water from a choked sewage pipe and bodily fluids. 

Amid the “distressing” scene, the cleaners found a Hari Raya outfit set (baju kurung, samping, and a pair of shoes) in the corner.

“These items stood in stark contrast to the horrifying scene, and they served as a poignant reminder of the Pakcik’s anticipation for the upcoming Raya celebration,” DDQ wrote.

The cleaners were later told by the shop owner that the deceased had no family or relatives. 

“It taught me to hold on to hope even in the darkest of times, for life is fleeting, and we never know when our own story might come to an end,” the caption read.

One comment said that “surely there is someone who remembers and knows this pakcik. Nobody is really alone in this world. Those who remember him and his kindness will pray for (his soul).”