Image copyright
Getty Images
The event took place in a district in the capital of Kuala Lumpur
Two elderly women in Malaysia have died in a crush caused by a crowd jostling to get free food coupons.
Only 200 coupons were available but more than 1,000 people showed up at an indoor market in the Pudu district in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday.
A security guard told local media he had heard “screams” and saw people “pushing each other”.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Law Ion Nang, 78, and Ah Poh, 85, are believed to have suffered difficulty breathing while waiting their turn.
A management official of the Pudu Integrated Commercial Complex, where the event took place, told news outlet The Star that the event was to mark Lunar New Year, which occurs next week.
The coupons were being given out to elderly people.
She said a total of four people collapsed during the event.
A 62-year-old security guard also told The Star that only four people were allowed to go into the office at a time to register for the coupons.
“However, those who were queuing ignored the directive and they began pushing each other,” said the unidentified guard.
Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Shaharuddin Abdullah told local media that both victims’ bodies had been on the floor.
Mr Abdullah said there had also been “other elderly people who suffered from breathing difficulties”.