‘MY BROTHER COULD NOT HAVE HURT FAMILY’
Brother says deceased had financial woes, but was a loving husband, father
THE brother of the victim in a murder-cumsuicide case in Mutiara Rini, Skudai, here does not believe that he could have hurt his family or committed the murders.
P. Seeladorai, 56, brother of Pubalan Retnam, 53, whose body was found along with that of his wife’s and two children at their house, said Pubalan was a loving husband and a caring father.
“My brother moved to Johor Baru from our family’s hometown in Baling, Kedah, 10 years ago. He tried his hand at a wine distribution business in Johor.
“In the past two years, his business was not doing well and he had to juggle between work, looking after his family and caring for his wife, Jeya Pichamuthu, who had kidney problems.
“She was unable to do heavy housework and was bedridden,” Seeladorai said at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital mortuary.
He said Pubalan had asked money from him and other siblings to tide him over financial constraints, adding that he did not enquire too much about Pubalan’s financial woes.
“My brother told me that he spent more than RM100,000 for his wife’s kidney treatment in the past two years.
“He said he was in need of money and that his business was not doing well to pay for her treatment.
“He was burdened with a lot of things. But, I do not believe that he could have murdered his kids, whom he loved so much.”
Police said Pubalan’s friend discovered the bodies as he had an appointment with Pubalan at the house.
Seeladorai, a teacher, said the remains of his brother’s family members would be cremated in Bukit Jana, Kamunting, Perak, where his sister lives.
He said the family was expecting for the bodies to be released after the post-mortem, either yesterday or today.
Iskandar Puteri police chief Assistant Commissioner Noor Hashim Mohamad said police were investigating the motive behind the deaths.
He said no complaint had been made of Pubalan owing money to anyone, or that he was in debt.
“If there is a complaint or any information regarding the case, please make a report so that we may investigate.
“Every piece of information counts.”
Noor Hashim said the investigation remained under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder based on initial findings that there were strangulation marks on the children’s bodies, while Pubalan’s and Jeya’s death cases had been classified as sudden deaths.
He said he would wait for the forensic post-mortem reports on the four bodies.
The post-mortem is being carried out at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital mortuary.