SLIGHTLY more than a year after Sathiswaran Sathiasilan, 14, was killed by a falling chair at the Seri Pantai People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur, his family have yet to find closure.

Police have reclassified the case as murder but to date, the family have no idea who caused the teenager’s death.

K. Sathiasilan and S. Kasthuribai are still grieving the death of their youngest child and they recently shared their agony with The Malaysian Insight when met at their home.

“I really feel unsatisfied. It has been more than a year since my son was killed but we’ve not received positive updates about the case.

“Every month without fail, I would WhatsApp the police officer in charge and ask for updates regarding the case but would only get a reply of ‘still investigating’.

“Even after a year, the reply is the same,” said Sathiasilan, a security officer.

In the last message from the officer, Sathiasilan was told that the forensics results on the fingerprint test carried out from samples collected were negative. He was also told there was no evidence to link the chair to its owners.

“The forensics results were negative. The owner who placed the chair on the corridor also cannot be traced.

“I’m puzzled with all the answers given. At the end of the day, the person who threw the chair and the owner who placed the chair at the corridor are still roaming free and my son is dead,” he said.

The family are keen to hire a lawyer but cannot afford it.

“We’re not rich. We don’t have the financial support to hire lawyers for this case but if with God’s grace, we get a lawyer, who is willing to help us, then we can proceed,” the 46-year-old said.

The couple have another son, who is 18.

On January 15 last year, Sathiswaran, a pupil at SMK La Salle Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, was on the ground floor of the PPR Seri Pantai flats with Kasthuribai when a chair, flung from the 21st floor of the low-cost flats, hit him. He died of head injuries.

Kasthuribai, 46, who witnessed the death of her son said the incident has left a mark in her life.

Some people asked if the family received any compensation but Kasthuribai’s reply has always been that the offers could never replace her son.

“I’m deeply sad. Even after a year has passed, the memories are still strong in me. Just imagine, I was holding my son’s brains.

“Everyone thinks that I got a huge compensation and some even asked me what I got. But I’m not interested in all that. I’ve lost my son, who is irreplaceable,” said the restaurant worker, wiping away the tears.

Like her husband, she hoped the police will take quick action and apprehend the culprit.

“I’m still waiting for justice for my dear son. I hope the police will take this case seriously and use all avenues to find the culprit,” she said speaking in both Tamil and Bahasa Malaysia.

Kasthuribai said she wanted to ask the person who flung the chair why.

The first-year prayers for Sathiswaran are taking place tomorrow in the family home. – February 2, 2019.