RAWANG: The father of one of the victims who is still missing in the Bukit Beruntung drowning incident said he was at work when he was informed of the mishap.
“It was 6pm and I called home asking what the children were doing and my wife told me ‘Aiman lemas’ (Aiman drowned),” said Kamarul Ariffin Osman.
“I was shocked. I have not spoken to him for two days. I have been working late and did not get the chance to talk to him,” he said.
Kamarul said his 12-year-old son, Muhammad Aiman Kamarul, was a keen footballer.
The father of seven who could not contain his grief, recalled a conversation he had with his son a few days ago about how happy the boy was after winning a football match.
“I did not even get to congratulate him as he was sleeping when I got back home. I know he was tired and did not want to wake him up,” he said, trying to hold back his tears.
Aiman had gone out after the Friday prayers when his friend came by the house asking him to come out but he did not tell the family where he was going.
Kamarul added that once he had even warned his son to not go swimming at the pond as there were past drowning incidents there but he said, knowing his son, the boy likes to follow his friends around.
The 45-year-old father said his son, who was his fourth child, usually cycles around the neighbourhood and went wherever he pleases. However, this time, he did not take his bicycle out.
“It was as if he was going for a walk alone and never coming back,” Kamarul said.