Nation

'Bus driver traumatised, called to apologise for what happened, and I forgive him'

SEPANG: The mother who had lost her toddler to an accident in Taman Anggerik, here, recently has accepted the tragedy as fate and wishes to not take any action against the driver of the bus involved.

Zainab Mohideen Abdul Kadar, 37, lost her seventh daughter, who was accidentally killed when hit by a school bus yesterday.

She told Harian Metro the bus, in fact, was the very same one in which all her children have been transported to school.

Zainab said although she is devastated by the accident, she understands that the bus driver did not intend to crash into her daughter.

"I haven't met the bus driver, because he is still traumatised by what had happened. He has called me and apologised for what happened and I forgive him.

"I can't blame the bus driver. Even when the family's statement was recorded by the police, I told the police that this driver was not to be harmed. I have no revenge against this bus driver, he has been a bus driver for about 25 years.

"My husband and I have no problem with him (the bus driver). We have to accept what had happened and cannot take vengeance upon him," she said when met at her house, here, today.

It was reported yesterday that a toddler, aged 16 months, was killed when she was hit by the bus.

The toddler was trailing behind her elder sister as the latter entered the school bus about 12.15pm, though no one noticed.

The victim's third sister, Nurul Aishah Mohamad Kassim, 13, who witnessed the accident said she was on the steps of the bus, giving pocket money to the victim's fifth sister, who was already on the bus.

"I got off the bus after I gave the money to my sister, and I saw the bus moving and Zahida (the victim) was already under the bus.

"I kept shouting and pulled out my sister because I was afraid that Zahida would be run over a second time, by the rear tire of the bus.

"My grandmother and our neighbours who heard my screams came out and asked what happened and one of the neighbours helped us to bring Zahida to a nearby clinic," she said.

Nurul Aishah said the bus driver apologised ceaselessly to her grandmother after he realised what had happened.

"He said he did not realise that Zahida was on the left side of the bus, underneath.

"After he apologised, our grandmother told the bus driver to send the other students to school before it was too late. He did as told and later came to the house to ask about Zahida's condition.

"He apologised once again, saying he did not see Zahida and the incident was not intentional. My mother reassured him that it was okay and that she did not blame the driver or me. We both did not notice Zahida coming out of the house," she said.

Nurul Aishah said Zahida was loved by everyone and had been close with their father and grandmother.

"I'm close with Zahida, she likes to follow me wherever I go… I've always joked around with her too," she said.

Meanwhile, Sepang police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof said police were currently preparing the investigation papers.

"The bus driver was arrested yesterday and he had given his statement. He has been released on police bail," he said.

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