A 39-year-old woman who called herself Julaiha said she would not allow her children to roam the area without her supervision.

“I bring my children with me wherever I go. Nobody here will allow their children to play on their own until the suspect is arrested,” said Julaiha, whose six children range from one to 18 years of age.

She also said the apartments were now enveloped in fear, a stark contrast to the time when children roamed freely and played in the playground in front of the block.

“This area was lively before the murder. Parents would just allow their children to go out without worrying about their safety, and sometimes they would play until midnight.

“Now all the kids have to stay at home,” she said, adding that she couldn’t sleep soundly at night for fear of unusual goings-on.

The body of Zayn, an autistic child, was found in a stream behind the block last week with injuries to the neck. Police are working to identify the killer.

Another resident who asked to be known as Sham said he was shocked by the incident, the first murder since he moved to the apartments 20 years ago.

“I never thought such an incident would happen here. I have heard of motorcycle theft but that’s as far as it goes, that’s why I’m shocked,” he said.

Sham has two children, aged seven and nine, and like Julaiha, he will not allow them to go out on their own for the time being.

He voiced hope that the joint management body at the apartments would beef up security by increasing their patrols and installing CCTVs.

“All of this costs money but the problem is that many residents don’t pay for maintenance, which is only around RM30. I hope we will find a way to solve this issue,” the 47-year-old said.

A senior citizen who introduced himself as Man said he missed the sight of the children and the sound of their laughter at the playground.

“The playground used to be lively but now it’s just lonely. I hope everything will go back to normal again soon,” the 60-year-old said.

Asri Shafie, 54, a former deputy chief of the block opposite Block R, said security used to be tight in the area but that it was difficult to maintain due to the cost and lack of commitment from residents.

“We used to have a security post here to monitor who’s coming in and out, and visitors who came here had to register their names. We also had a record of the residents here. But that was in 2004,” he said.