Despite having no family or relatives, an elderly Malay man who lived alone in a Bukit Merah HDB shophouse was still eagerly anticipating the celebration of Hari Raya this year.
A pair of baju kurung, a samping, and a pair of shoes hung neatly at the corner of his room, ready for the festivities.
Sadly, the Pakcik passed away on 20 Apr, just two days before the start of the Raya celebration, and never had the chance to wear his new outfit.
Recently, DDQ Services, a company specializing in death, trauma, and crime scene cleanup, shared the story of the deceased Pakcik on their TikTok account.
In the video description, the cleaner described the case as “one of the saddest” they have encountered, noting that the man was found in a small rented room above the shophouse.
The deceased’s body was only discovered by the shop owner below, when the smell and the pool of water mixed with bodily fluids had seeped through the shopfloor.
“Upon entering the room, I was confronted with a shocking sight, ” the trauma cleaner recalled.
The cleaner described that the flood was almost ankle-deep, a combination of water from a choked sewage pipe, bodily fluids, and remnants of decay.
The murky water was filled with maggots swimming through the tainted water.
“The scene was distressing, and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the tragedy that had unfolded in this tiny room.”
Despite the distressing scene, the cleaner also observed a pair of Hari Raya outfits hanging neatly in the corner of the room, a stark contrast to the horrifying scene surrounding them.
According to the shop owner, the Pakcik had no family or relatives left.
“Yet he had been looking forward to Raya, excited to celebrate the special occasion even if he had no one to share it with.”
“He had also shared his dream of finally owning a home, a dream that was so close to becoming a reality. ”
At the end, the cleaner said that the Pakcik’s story is reminder for him of the importance of cherishing the relationships and moments that bring us happiness, and to extend a helping hand to those who may be struggling in solitude.
“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.”
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DDQ services are well-known in Singapore for their specialising in after death trauma cleaning and crime scene clean up.
The company’s founder, 40-year-old Rahman Razali, has previously been interviewed by local media outlets where he shared his thoughts and the challenges he faces in his line of work.
Previous cases of elderly die alone in their residence
In June 2022, 73-year-old Madam Cheng Ah Imm, found dead in a rental flat after Housing Development Board (HDB) officials broke open her flat’s locked door.
They found a pile of bones in the living room, after deciding to reclaim the flat due to unpaid rental of over two years.
Some netizens have questioned why the HDB officials took so long to discover the deceased, given that an elderly person was living in the unit.
In November 2020, police found an elderly’s remains in her unit at The Shore Residences— nearly two years after she was last seen.
The elderly Lily Loh, who was in her 80s, lived by herself and only had a pet dog. The resident noted that Madam Loh appeared to have neither family members nor visitors.
In February 2020, the resident said there was a “weird smell” in the common corridor, which went away weeks later. The condo management was notified of Madam Loh’s sudden absence. Despite that, nothing appeared to have been done, according to the resident.
Police were alerted to Madam Loh’s missing status after Mountbatten Member of Parliament (MP) Lim Biow Chuan was informed of her disappearance.
In December 2021, a 63-year-old male was found dead in his Toa Payoh flat, after his neighbours detected a foul stench emanating from the unit.
In 2020, about 88,000 Singapore’s elderly residents aged 60 live alone
In January 2022, Sitoh Yih Pin, Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir, asked Minister for Health (MOH) in Parliament regarding the annual number of seniors aged 60 years and above who passed away alone at home in the past five years.
In the written reply, the Minister noted that while the Ministry does not track the proportion who passed away alone at home, but as of 2020, about 10% or 88,000 Singapore residents aged 60 years and above live alone.
