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The father of a teenage girl killed by a falling wooden beam at a temple in Tanjong Sepat, Selangor said he is devastated over her death, despite his family helping out at the temple daily
Speaking to China Press, the victim's father, a 50-year-old fruit vendor, said he hopes the media can help seek justice for his daughter.
Overcome with grief, he described the pain of raising his 17-year-old daughter only for her life to be cut so abruptly.
He added that their family of five had served the temple daily, rain or shine, yet the tragedy still occurred.
He said that temples should be a safe place.
The father (left) speaking to the media about his daughter's (right) sudden death.
Image via Sin Chew Daily
Recounting the incident, he wept as he described holding his daughter, whose finger moved as she opened her eyes to look at him one last time before she died
He said that his daughter was an excellent student and a filial child, who frequently won scholarships and had a promising future ahead of her.
He is now demanding justice, saying that while he acknowledged the temple's responsibility, he believes the primary blame lies with the supplier who sold the wooden beam to the temple.
He is also calling for a formal and sincere explanation as to why the beam failed.
He urged the temple council to provide a clear account and determine the true cause of the beam's breakage, reported Sin Chew Daily.
The broken beam is currently placed outside the temple, with nearby residents coming to view it after learning about the tragedy.
The 1,000kg beam was reportedly installed in 2022, and a photo shows devotees and workers gathered around it prior to its installation.
The incident took place at around 8pm on Tuesday, 7 April, when the girl was cleaning the temple with her mother, before the structure collapsed and killed her.
The wooden beam prior to its installation in 2022.
Image via Sin Chew Daily
