Mother accepts toddler's death, does not blame bus driver

SEPANG: "My husband and I have accepted the fact that our daughter is gone. We harbour no ill feelings towards the school bus driver," said the mother of a 16-month-old girl who died after she was hit by a school bus in Salak Tinggi near here yesterday.

Zainab Mohideen Abdul Kadar, 37, also said she hoped that the police will not take any legal action against the 50-year-old bus driver.

"We have not met with the bus driver yet because he is still traumatised. He, however, called me and apologised to me.

"I cannot blame the bus driver because he is already traumatised by the incident. Furthermore, he is also not well-off and his bus has been seized," she told reporters when met at her home here today.

Zainab who works as a canteen assistant said the death of her youngest out of seven children, has left a deep scar on the family but she was willing to forgive the bus driver.

She said on the day of the mishap, she and her husband were at work and their children were being looked after by her mother-in-law.

Meanwhile, the victim's elder sister, Nurul Aishah, 13, said that at the time of the incident, she had just gotten off the bus after giving pocket money to her eight-year-old sister.

"After giving money to my sister, I got off the bus. I saw the bus moving and at the same time, I also saw Zahida under the bus. I quickly grabbed her before the rear tyre of the bus hit her again.

"I shouted and immediately carried Zahida into the house. My neighbours came and took Zahida, me and my grandmother to the health clinic nearby," she said.

Nurul Aishah said after realising that Zahida had been hit, the bus driver immediately got off and apologised to her grandmother.

"My grandma just told the bus driver to send the children to school first and after he finished sending the children, he came back and asked about Zahida's condition.

"He said he was sorry, he said he did not see Zahida," she said adding that Zahida was a cheerful sister and would also follow her sisters and were very close to her father and grandmother.

Meanwhile, Sepang district police chief ACP Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof said the bus driver had been released on police bail last night after giving his statement.

"We will complete the investigation and submit the investigation paper to the public prosecutor for further action," he added.

-- BERNAMA