Bukit Beruntung: Victim's mother wants to see his face

'I wish to see the face of my second offspring', thus said the mother of Muhammad Ikhwan Mohd Ridwan, 10, who was one of eight children swept away by strong currents in Kampung Timah, Bukit Beruntung here, yesterday.

As of 7 pm today, Muhammad Ikhwan and Muhammad Aiman Kamarul Ariffin, 12, of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Taman Bunga Raya 1 here had yet to be found.

Describing the incident as fated, Suhaila Md Sahi, 34, said she wanted the second of five siblings to be found quickly.

"I am aggrieved as we could not celebrate his birthday on March 15. We did plan to do so but did not expect this to happen," she said when met here today.

Meanwhile, SK Taman Bunga Raya 1 headmaster Mohd Hasren Damiri said the incident was a great blow for him and the teachers.

"I am shocked at what had happened. We will hold hajat prayers and recite the Yasin on Monday for the victims. A fund will also be set up to help their families," he said.

The Search and Rescue (SAR) operation for the two pupils was postponed at 7 pm this evening due to bad weather.

In the incident at 5 pm, eight children, aged nine to 12 years, from the nearby housing area were swept away by an extraordinary high tide while they were scooping for fish in Sungai Selangor. Five drowned while one was safe.

The five who drowned were siblings Shahrizat Abdullah, 12, and Shahrizwan, 10; Amirul Hakimi Khairul Amru, 9, Muhammad Iskandar Shah, 12, and Muhammad Aiman Fitri Md Asmadi, 12. - BERNAMA