Stung by netizens’ crIticism over the way some Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents reacted to a foreign worker’s suicide in the posh Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood, a resident has decided to help make up for the hurt already caused.
Amir Rizwan has launched a drive to raise money which he intends to use to help the dead Nepali's family. Amir, who was touched by reports in The Malaysian Insider, hopes to raise RM4,000 by Tuesday.
"I was reading the comments posted by readers over the incident in The Malaysian Insider and one suggested the TTDI community raise money through a donation drive to give to the man’s family," Amir told The Malaysian Insider today.
The suicide of Padam Bahadur Sunar, 35, struck a nerve in the community especially after the appalling reaction of some TTDI residents to his death. He jumped from a shop in Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1.
The behaviour of these residents triggered a debate in the TTDI Facebook page with one appalled resident writing a letter lamenting the lack of compassion and indifference among them.
Several netizens allegedly posted a picture of the body and even videos of the "action", all in the name of "educating" people about this tragedy.
Amir has created a webpage and linked it to the TTDI Facebook page and anyone wanting to donate will know how to contribute by visiting it.
Amir’s appeal reads: "This is a token donation collection to assist the late Mr Padam Bahadur's family. En Padam was a worker from Nepal who has gone through so much and that his life ended in tragedy. We as the community of Taman Tun Dr Ismail were very saddened and touched by his story in The Malaysian Insider and vow to make amends as well as some contributions to his family in any capacity. Your forthcoming donations are so much appreciated and we will ensure that it will be passed to the Nepalese Embassy and straight to his family. This donation campaign is also to create awareness of the hard life some of the workers here in Malaysia have to go through and that we Malaysians are always willing to help and sympathise with them. May his soul rest in peace. Thank you very much."
Amir said that up to 7pm today, about RM400 had been raised.
"I think it is important to uphold humanitarian values at all times. The deceased may be a foreigner but it does not mean that he is a lesser human and he deserves to be treated with respect," Amir added.
He is also working to reach Padam's family in Nepal.
"It would be great for anyone who knows this man to message me over the TTDI residents' page and I am currently trying to contact his family through the embassy."
Padam’s body has yet to be claimed by officials of the Nepal Embassy from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre mortuary.
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