KUALA LUMPUR: “If the seven suspects are indeed guilty, they should be sentenced to death.”
Those were the words of 38-year old Ermayani Normatias, who had expressed her anguish over the fate of her son Indrakurniawan Mohd Amirul, who is fighting for his life at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital burn care intensive care unit (ICU).
Indrakurniawan, 11, was a survivor of the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school fire. Currently under sedation, the boy sustained 20 per cent burns from the neck to his buttocks. He also suffered burns on his hands and a broken leg after leaping from the school’s third floor.
Ermayani, who was commenting on the arrest of seven suspects allegedly responsible for the incident, said the culprits must not be let off lightly.
“I am shocked that they are just teenagers, but capable of committing such terrible act. They are like extremists and terrorists.
“It is absurd that they have such a mentality at a young age. I read that two suspects have past criminal records but they were freed and brazenly committed yet another crime. There is no guarantee they will change for the better.
“The authorities must investigate what had influenced them to carry out such an act. A death penalty will serve a lesson to others,” said Ermayani who works as a cleaner.
Speaking to reporters when met at the hospital, a tearful Ermayani said she had been having sleepless nights over Indrakurniawan’s condition.
Indrakurniawan is the eldest child of three and has been studying at the school since January.
“I am very exhausted and haven’t had proper rest since Thursday. I have taken leave from work to be at the hospital and have been waiting here every day to be updated by the doctors of his condition.
“When I get home, I want to sleep but I can’t because I am worried sick. My body is aching but I need to be strong for my son,” Ermayani said.