The family of Lee Kim Teen want answers on the cause of his death and the ‘speedy’ cremation of the body by his employer, who did not first inform relatives.

“We are demanding answers to a few simple questions,” Lee Choon Lai - a nephew - said through an interpreter, when contacted yesterday.

police brutality sinister corruption secrets “Why did the police and Kim Teen’s employer rush to cremate him? Why didn’t they inform us earlier but wait until the body was burning before contacting us?”

Kim Teen, 54, was found dead in a furniture factory in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, where he was working and living. A bachelor, he occupied a room on the premises.

A police officer is said to have ‘confirmed’ that he died of a heart attack, and the body was cremated at the Meru crematorium about six hours after he was found.

On the morning of Aug 29, a security guard telephoned a factory clerk to inform her that Lee was dead. The clerk summoned help from the Sungai Buloh police station and the officer who responded allegedly ‘confirmed’ the cause of death.

The police report lodged by the clerk - a copy of which the family has obtained - stated that Lee’s family could not be reached.

The purpose of the report was, according to the clerk, “so that the employer can take care of the body and arrange a funeral, and out of concern that other things may crop up in the following days”.

Choon Lai said that his contact number was inside a bag among Lee’s belongings in his room - the same number the clerk then used to call the family midway through the cremation.

‘Why no post-mortem?’

He is also curious as to why the body was not taken to Sungai Buloh Hospital - a mere 10 minutes’ drive from the police station - for a post-mortem examination.

“Why did they go ahead with the cremation without contacting us? What was the rush to burn the body? Is that provided for in police regulations?

“Because my uncle lived alone, there was nobody with him who knows how he died. Wouldn’t it have been better for a doctor to have examined the body to find out?”

nadarajah assets questioned 070206 manikavasagam Choon Lai said there was talk that Lee’s death was due to a wage dispute, but that the family does not suspect foul play.

Kapar member of parliament S Manikavasagam (right) , whom the family approached for assistance, said he was “giving” the police 48 hours to investigate the incident and come up with an explanation.

“If not, I will help this family take legal action for what has happened,” he said.

Despite numerous calls to the Sungai Buloh police station, the police officer involved could not be reached for a response.