KUALA NERUS: A grandfather and his step-granddaughter who were killed in a car crash at KM153 of Jalan Jerangau-Jabor, Kemaman yesterday were buried together at the Kampung Padang Polis Muslim Cemetery today.
Abd Halim Ismail, 71, who died at the scene and Alisha Mardhiah Muhammad Ubaidillah Zikri, 2, who died at the Kemaman Hospital due to brain haemorrhage, were buried at 12.45 pm after funeral prayers were held at their home in Kampung Pengkalan Atap, Batu Rakit.
Alisha Mardhiah’s father, Muhammad Ubaidillah Zikri Adnan, 30, said he never thought that his daughter’s change of attitude recently was a sign that she would be leaving forever.
The Ministry of Health staff who worked in Kuala Lumpur said a few days before the incident, Alisha Mardhiah, who was affectionately known as ‘Icha’, refused to play with him and only wanted to be with her mother.
“Since returning home on Thursday (April 20), Icha only seemed to want to cling on to her mother..she didn’t even want to come to me.
“In my heart, I felt it was strange, but I thought it was just typical behaviour of children. Maybe it’s because we live far apart,” he said when met after the burial ceremony.
Muhammad Ubaidillah Zikri said the incident yesterday occurred while the family was on its way home in Batu Rakit after attending an open house hosted by his wife’s cousin in Perasing.
He said his mother-in-law, Zaiton Mohamad, 57, was still being treated at Kemaman Hospital due to a broken thigh while his wife, Nurul Fatihah Azman, 28, who suffered a broken arm, was allowed home to attend their daughter’s funeral.
“According to the doctor, the five-month-old fetus in my wife’s womb also perished due to the strong impact of the crash,” he said.
In yesterday’s incident, six victims including Abd Halim and Alisha Mardhiah were killed while seven others were injured after two cars collided.
The four others who died are Nor Nadia Natasha Abu Bakar, 23; Nur Syafinaz Naura Saiful Azwan, 2; Tuan Yah Dollah, 61; and Rosliza Mat Hussin, 38. — BERNAMA
