A harrowing incident has come to light in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, as a local man was tragically found dead in his condominium unit after allegedly being locked up by his landlord due to unpaid rent. 

The man, believed to be a Chinese man in his 40s, was discovered lifeless and emaciated within his condominium unit in Mutiara Damansara town, Petaling Jaya. The discovery was made by a concerned neighbor in late July. According to a report by Sin Chew Daily, the man's family has taken legal action against the landlord following this devastating incident.

The family's lawyer, Mr. Phang Soon Mun, revealed that the landlord had allegedly chained the door of the condominium unit in response to the tenant's failure to pay rent for approximately three months. Stricken by financial difficulties, the tenant found himself unable to top up his phone and therefore couldn't seek assistance.

However, the landlord provided a conflicting account, asserting that she believed her tenant had already vacated the unit when she locked the door on July 2nd. She explained that she did not forcibly open the door to check the unit, but she made multiple attempts to call for the tenant, receiving no response. She questioned why, if he was indeed trapped, he hadn't attempted to escape or call for help, especially given the presence of adjacent balconies and nearby pedestrian traffic.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan clarified that an autopsy showed the tenant had succumbed to a heart attack, not starvation, though the case is still classified as a sudden death report. He urged the public to come forward with any pertinent information.

Mr. Phang stressed that detaining tenants for unpaid rent is not an acceptable practice. He underscored that landlords must follow legal procedures, such as obtaining a court order or utilizing the small claims court, rather than resorting to locking out tenants.

This tragic incident underscores the need for clear communication, empathy, and understanding between tenants and landlords. While tenants must fulfill their financial obligations, landlords are bound by legal and ethical responsibilities. 

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