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Freak accident claims girl's left arm, but not her spirit

KUALA TERENGGANU: Nur Zulaikha Khumaira Zulkifli might have just lost her left arm, but the 7-year-old refused to let her disability break her spirit.

The girl’s arm was severed when an oversized sweater she was wearing became entangled in the back wheel of a motorcycle driven by a cousin at Kampung Binjai Bongkok, Marang, last night.

However, in less than 24 hours after the horrific accident, Zulaikha was already anticipating the next course of action - to get a prosthetic arm.

“Aboh (father), when can I get a prosthetic arm?,” she said as soon as she opened her eyes after undergoing a surgery at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital this morning, much to her parents’ disbelief.

Due to the severity of injuries, Zulaikha’s left arm could not be reattached.

Her father Zulkifli Mohamad, 38, said he was shocked when he heard the first question.

“That was the first thing she said as soon as she regained consciousness after leaving the operation theatre.

“How could she possible know that her arm could not be saved? My wife and I have been by her side to give her words of encouragement,” he said when met at the hospital today.

Noor Aina Hananie Rozali, 18, Zulaikha’s cousin who rode the motorcycle involved in the accident, they were on their way to the village committee chairman’s house.

“I asked her to come along as I wanted to get approval stamp for her scholarship application form to further my studies in college.

“Khumaira (Zulaikha) was sitting at the back, while my youngest sibling, aged two, sat in between us.

“I only realised about the accident when the motorcycle had somehow slowed down and I heard a cry of pain.

“When I looked back, she (Zulaikha) was already on the road,” she said.

Despite losing her arm in the 9.30pm incident, Zulaikha was seen extremely calm as she sat at the site before she was sent to a nearby clinic.

Pictures of the Year 1 pupil from SK Tasek and her severed arm had since gone viral on social media.

Her mother, Rohidayu Siup@Yusof, 29, said the sweater Zulaikha was wearing belonged to her.

“Kakak (as Zulaikha fondly called) wore my sweater for the first time last night.

“I rushed to the scene when I learned about the accident and accompanied her to the clinic before she was referred to the hospital to have her arm reattached.

“However, we were told that it could not be done as the damage was too severe,” she said.


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