Man discovers he’s been declared ‘dead’ for eight months after filing police report

A man from Malaysia was shocked to discover he was declared 'dead' after he tried to file a police report for a missing deed leading to months of complications.

In January, Low Choo Choon, 71, from Skudai, Johor realised he lost the deed to to a two-person gravesite which he purchased for he and his wife.

Looking to transfer the gravesite to another family member, he went to the police to file a report for a missing deed. However, he was unable to file the report because he was declared 'dead'.

Ironically, Low works as a hearse driver for funerals.

Low went to the national registration department (JPN) to file a complaint and correct the mistake and although they told him it would only take two weeks to process his change, it took eight months.

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Despite Low's family members calling JPN multiple times in the hopes to correct the mistake, they found immense difficulty getting the necessary change to occur.

“I have been working at a funeral home for so many years but I never thought that I would be listed as ‘dead’." Low said as reported by Free Malaysia Today.

Low said he was worried if his status is not changed his bank account or assets will be frozen.

The 'dead' declaration affected Low's life for eight months as he was unable to vote in the Johor state elections in March.

Low sought help from Senai assemblyman Wong Bor Yang who directed his problem to the investigative team at the Johor national registration department.

The registry department was able to help Wong and Low by reinstating his status on Wednesday.

Similar mistakes have happened around the world. Last year, a man was found alive seven hours after being declared dead in a mortuary freezer.

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