An elderly Malaysian man, who was reunited with his daughters after nearly two decades when he was found in a Singapore home for the aged, has died.

Malaysian news agency Bernama said Mr Ali Jais had fallen ill on April 11, the second day of Hari Raya Puasa, and died at Pasir Puteh Hospital in Kelantan State at 4pm on April 15.

He was 88.

The oldest of Mr Ali’s three daughters, Ms Hasliza Ali, told Bernama she was cleaning him but felt no response.

“With the help of a nurse, I was informed that Abah (father) had gone,” she said.

Ms Hasliza said her father had joined the rest of the family in Kelantan for Hari Raya celebrations, but caught a lung infection and was admitted to the hospital.

In November 2020, her youngest sister Khazimah Ali made an appeal on social media asking Malaysians and Singaporeans to assist in her family’s search for Mr Ali.

The family lost contact with him after he separated from his wife in 2001, Bernama had reported.

Within 24 hours of the appeal, Mr Ali was found by netizens to be living at the Bukit Batok Home for the Aged in Singapore, where he had been admitted in 2018.

With the help of government and private agencies, Mr Ali was reunited with his family across the Causeway on Dec 19, 2020, when border restrictions were still in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He went to live with Ms Hasliza in Batu Caves, Selangor.

Ms Hasliza said that despite spending less than four years with her father, she and her sisters were grateful for the time they had with him in Malaysia.

Mr Ali was buried on April 15.