Two Siblings Who Drowned In Paka Laid To Rest

KOTA BHARU, May 25 (Bernama) -- The remains of two siblings who drowned in Sungai Beril near Taman Beril in Paka, Terengganu, were laid to rest at the Kampung Buloh Poh Muslim Burial Grounds in Melor here today.

Muhammad Aidil Amsyar Mohd Zul-Zunaidi, 14, was buried at 8.20 pm, while his elder brother Muhammad Amir Ashraf, 15, was laid to rest at about 11 am today, with family members, relatives and villagers gathered at the burial grounds to pay their final respects.

The victims’ uncle, Mohamad Zul Hazim Mohd Baldin, 30, said the teenagers had grown up together like twins as they were only a year apart in age and were also the eldest grandchildren who shared a close bond with their grandmother, Nor Hashimah Hashim, 64.

“We were truly shocked because they had never been to that river before, and the family had also been planning to hold a family gathering in conjunction with Aidiladha at the end of this month,” he told reporters at the burial grounds.

In the incident at about 11 am yesterday, the siblings drowned after being swept away by the current while bathing with two other friends at Sungai Beril.

Muhammad Amir Ashraf’s body was found by the rescue team on the riverbed about seven metres from the location of the incident at 3.47 pm yesterday, while Muhammad Aidil Amsyar was found floating near the Paka Market jetty at 9.55 am today.

-- BERNAMA