BATU PAHAT: An elderly man with disabilities who had been missing for nearly a week was found dead in an oil palm plantation in Yong Peng, believed to have died of starvation.
Kasnon Sabari, 76, was discovered around 11am yesterday by a passerby in a plantation about 60 kilometres from his home in Sungai Kluang Darat, Rengit.
Kasnon's cousin, Sumardi Marmin, 62, said the family received the tragic news at noon, just as they were hoping for his safe return.
Police informed the family of the discovery and asked them to identify the body at the Forensic Unit of Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital.
"I was told that he might have died from starvation after his motorcycle ran out of fuel and he couldn't return home.
"He was not wearing a helmet when he left his house, and his body was found without one.
"The afternoon before his disappearance, I had a drink with him, but it's strange why he rode all the way to Yong Peng when he had never travelled that far before.
"If he went out to buy something, he would return home immediately. He was still single and lived with his nephew nearby," he said.
Sumardi added that police found his motorcycle along with some personal documents and cash.
"He was noticed missing after he didn't show up for Friday prayers, although he was usually one of the first to arrive at the mosque.
"We searched for him everywhere but couldn't find him. By the time his body was found, it was believed that he had been dead for more than two days.
"He was a special person, even though he was born with disabilities, he never relied on others. Despite not being married, he was always loved by his nieces, nephews, and family.
"What makes us proud is that he never missed his prayers, even when he was severely ill, and we accept his passing with an open heart," Sumardi said.
Meanwhile, Batu Pahat district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said police have classified the death of the elderly man as sudden death.
He added that an autopsy was conducted, and there were no signs of criminal elements involved in his death.