ANN/THE STAR – Residents of Idaman Apartments in Damansara Damai, Selangor, Malaysia are more vigilant following the murder of six-year-old Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin.
Families, especially those with young children and teenagers, are living in fear and trauma after the incident.
Resident Rosman Salleh, 48, said he was taking extra precautions on the whereabouts of his children.
“Before this, when the van dropped them off after school, they would take the stairs to the third floor on their own. But now, my wife waits for them on the ground floor,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying yesterday. Rosman said his family has stayed in the area since it was first built in 2001.
Mariani Awang, 42, said the residential area used to be filled with children’s laughter but has now gone quiet. “Before this case, the children used to come out and play early in the morning, but now they are too afraid.
“The parents, too, are worried about the safety of their children. I always tell my children to wait in the school compound if I am late to pick them up.”
Another resident, known as Leawati, 47, said she was worried about the safety of her children, who are still in primary school.
“I am staying in Park Avenue, which is far from the location of the incident, but we still have to pass through that area,” she said.
Selangor police chief Commissioner Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said initial investigations involved finding and gathering physical evidence at the crime scene and around the residential area. “This will be followed by a house-to-house search and questioning where there are around 18 blocks comprising 2,400 units.
“The police are also waiting for forensic information,” he added.
Commissioner Hussein said Zayn Rayyan’s murder was not a straightforward case and that police needed to gather more information and evidence.
“Do not complicate matters by spreading unverified news that may offend the victim’s family. Give space to the police to investigate until those responsible are caught,” he added.
Zayn Rayyan, who was an autistic boy, was found dead about 34 hours after his reported disappearance. His body was discovered in a river near his home at Idaman Apartment in Damansara Damai at about 10pm on Wednesday.
