Malaysian man dies weeks before wedding after being stung by wasps living in air-con unit

A 29-year-old man in Selangor, Malaysia died after being stung by wasps while preparing for his upcoming wedding. 

The incident occurred on Dec 30 in Kampung Sungai Semungkis, Batu 14, while the victim, Abdul Hamid Mohd Taufek, was cleaning his house. He had opened the air-conditioning unit and was waiting for a technician to arrive for servicing, Berita Harian reported.

His friend, Khairul Affendi Rahim, said that Abdul Hamid then rushed to a neighbour's house after being stung.  

"A few minutes later, he fainted and was taken to the Batu 14 health clinic for further treatment," said Khairul. 

Despite receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation for about 30 minutes, he succumbed to his injuries later that day. 

"An inspection at his house found that there was a hornet's nest in the air-con compressor outside his house," said Khairul. 

"We are still waiting for the results of the autopsy to identify the cause of Abdul Hamid's death."

Khairul added that with his sinus problems and seafood allergies, the sting may have triggered a severe allergic reaction and caused the wasp venom to spread more quickly in Abdul Hamid's body. 

Wedding was scheduled for Jan 23

The youngest of three siblings, Abdul Hamid has been living with his grandmother after his parents' deaths several years ago. He was supposed to marry his fiancee on Jan 23, said Khairul. 

"He often talked to [his friends] about his wedding and had already made some preparations for the ceremony," he said. 

Another friend, 34-year-old Mohd Safwan Shari described Abdul Hamid as a devout Muslim. 

"[He] was very involved in activities in this village. In fact, he was a strong man in the surau to the point that I, as the surau chairman, appointed him as the third imam," said Safwan. 

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esther.lam@asiaone.com