A decomposing body, believed to have been dead for about five days, was discovered inside a car parked opposite Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) along Jalan Sungai Dua here today.
The discovery was made after members of the public alerted authorities to a strong foul smell coming from the vehicle.
Firefighters who arrived at the scene were forced to break open the car door before finding the bloated body of a 37-year-old man inside.
Jalan Perak Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Shahrunnizam Kamar Bashah said the team was dispatched to the location following an emergency call received at 12.28pm.
General emergency response procedures were activated as authorities secured the area before the case was handed over to police for further investigation.
A nearby shop worker said the car had been parked in the area for several days but no one was seen entering or leaving the vehicle.
The victim’s wife, who is also in her 30s, later identified the body at the scene and shared that her husband had been missing since leaving for work outstation.
She said he had travelled to Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday for work and was expected to return to Penang on Saturday, but failed to come home as planned.
Concern grew after repeated attempts to contact him went unanswered, prompting her to lodge a police report.
She also said her husband had been suffering from diabetes.
Police later informed her that his body had been found in the parked vehicle.
Northeast district deputy police chief Superintendent Lee Swee Sake said there were no visible signs of foul play, and the case has been classified as sudden death.
The deceased leaves behind his wife and two children.
