VOCR
24th April, 2010
Kuala Lumpur


by Saimon & Salai CC

A Chin refugee named Thla Awi, about 40 yrs from Aive village, Hakha Township was hit to death by a Metro bus around 11:30 pm on Friday in Malaysia.

The man was hit when he was back en route home to Jalan Pudu to have meeting with his friends.

Volunteers of CRC (Chin Refugee Community) immediately rushed to the incident taken place as soon as a pedestrian informed the CRC in order to give a hand there.

"It was said that the police car reached the place ahead by the time we arrived there. The body was left on the road and the police were searching for a witness to facilitate the investigation as the driver had run away. However, no witness had been found out since he was alone in the incident occurred," a volunteer of CRC said.

Search & Rescue team checking Thla Awi body

"Around this area, some of Chin refugees had had encountered the same accidents and all the rest of people should be on alert especially when crossed the road. No one should cross off this highway for the reason of the car speed here is higher than other normal roads. Fortunately amid the sorrow mounted, the case will be thoroughly investigated and any necessary action will be taken into the driver despite his status is illegal (refugee)", a police man said to the VOCR.

A police man prompted that Chin refugees living around this area are very disobedient so that two had been died in the same incident here as a result. The reason is all the people who walk down here between Jalan Imbi and Jalan Pudu are still crossing this highway though incident has given them some knowledge and they can best walk past the bridge for the highway, instead.

It was said that Za Tin lost contact from his relatives since 04.04.2010 and was found dead on 14.04.2010 at General Hospital in Kuala Lumpur when his relatives lodged a report to police. Later on, the investigation revealed that it was appeared that he also was hit by the car and directly died in the scene. In his related case, the detailed information was not provided to the community by none of his friends or relatives but the funeral service was held in Sungai Buluh cemetery which was mainly led by (CCF) Chin Christian Fellowship. Only few information had been available regarding this person accident as it was failed to inform to the responsible community by friends or relatives.

It is so certain that more death tolls because of the accident appear to be continuous as long as they keep crossing the highway as before. So far in this related cases, any compensations for those who have been died in the car accident have never been offered until recently.

Truth, often and often times Communities and Churches make such a very important awareness to the people along with each community owned leaflets which are used as a strong media. It's been time for individuals (refugees) to be aware of self safety and learn from the past what was going through.