A lecturer from UniSZA was discovered deceased in his rented house in Jertih, with police ruling out foul play due to a history of heart disease.

JERTIH: A lecturer from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin was found dead at his rented house here this morning.

The body of Tajul Afif Abdullah, 49, was discovered after colleagues grew concerned over his absence from work.

Two friends detected a foul odour outside the house in Kampung Gelam Emas and alerted the authorities.

Personnel from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department were called to force open the door, which was locked from inside.

The victim was found in the bathroom of the main bedroom, according to Besut district police chief Supt Mohd Rozaime Ab Rahim.

He stated that initial observations suggested the lecturer had died more than 24 hours prior.

Police investigations and post-mortem results found no elements of foul play.

Mohd Rozaime noted that the deceased had a history of heart disease.

A close friend, Dr Muhammad Hailmi Sajeli, said he became worried when Tajul Afif did not show up for work.

He invited another colleague to check on the lecturer at his rented house.

“When we arrived, we found the doors and windows closed and locked from the inside, and we could smell a foul odour,” Muhammad Hailmi told reporters.

Their concern grew upon seeing the deceased’s motorcycle parked behind the house.

They also noticed water from a tap flowing continuously into a drain.

“When we opened the window, the smell became stronger, so we immediately called the police,” he added.

Muhammad Hailmi said the last time Tajul Afif reported for work was last Thursday.

The lecturer had not responded to messages in their WhatsApp group after working hours that same day.

He shared that Tajul Afif, who was pursuing his doctorate, had intended to remain unmarried.

This was so he could focus on caring for his mother, who is suffering from a stroke.

 The Sun Malaysia