PETALING JAYA: The death of the two brothers, both Myanmar nationals, from apparently eating food waste from a rubbish bin, raises questions of whether it is a case of parental negligence or hardcore poverty.

       The two boys, aged four and two, were found disoriented on Feb 13 by their father near a rubbish bin in Kampung Baru Sungai Tepa, near Bukit Malut in Langkawi, Kedah.

       The 36-year-old father rushed the children, who were foaming in their mouth, to a neighbour’s home but the children died shortly.

       Langkawi district police chief assistant commissioner Shariman Ashari told Bernama that the boys’ father, who has tested positive for drugs, had been detained for 14 days to assist investigations.

       According to Shariman, the boys died at about 6.15pm on Sunday.

       Shariman said the 36-year-old was homeless. The father and the two children stayed at a neighbour’s house while his wife was believed to have returned to Myanmar.

       Malaysians took to social media to mourn the deaths of the two kids, questioning how “dumpster diving” for food could be occurring right in our backyards.

       “It doesn’t matter if they are migrant children. If children have to eat from rubbish bins, shame on us,” wrote Lucius Maximus on Twitter.

       “I believe they weren’t hungry. Neighbours always gave them food and water. They are chubby. I gave them pocket money nearly every day and sometimes some kuih,” said a 42-year-old who wanted to be known as Pak Su Kasim.

       Pak Su Kasim said the two brothers often roamed around without any parental supervision and they always played near a giant garbage bin near their home.

       “It is quite strange. I have never seen the children going through the bin. I don’t believe they were hungry,” he said, adding that the area was frequented by monkeys as well, he told a Malay daily.

       Pak Su Kasim, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said the family was new to the neighbourhood and their mother had left them several years ago.

       “My wife and I could not sleep last night thinking about the pain that these two kids would have gone through,” he said, adding that they once considered adopting them.

       The father’s immigration status is being investigated along with the suspected neglect of his children.

       The remains of the two boys were taken from Hospital Sultanah Maliha in Langkawi to Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah in Alor Setar yesterday for post-mortems to ascertain the cause of death.