ALOR SETAR: "I will take care of my three younger siblings forever and can't bear to be separated from them even though our mother and father are no longer here," said Muhammad Azrul Hafizi.
Muhammad Azrul, 15, is the eldest child of Noriza Saad, 34, who died in an accident along with her husband, Marzlan Abu Hassan, 52, who was also the stepfather to the four siblings.
In the incident at 11.30pm, the couple was on their way home on a motorcycle to their house in Tanjung Musang, Langgar, when they were involved in an accident with another motorcycle and a car on Jalan Alor Pudak, Titi Haji Idris, Pendang, last Thursday night.
The accident resulted in the deaths of Noriza, her husband, and a 14-year-old teenager, Muhammad Aidil Awang Saidin, who was riding another motorcycle at the scene.
The four siblings, including a pair of two-year-old twins, Nur Qaseh Melissa Marzlan and Nur Chinta Melissa, now live with their uncle, Kasuadinata Saad, 45, and aunt, Zuraina Abu, 53, after losing their mother and stepfather.
He said that he, along with his sister, Aina Damia, 14, and the twins, are now receiving the care and affection of their uncle and aunt as replacements for their mother.
"I promise to fulfill my late mother's wish to take care of the twins and Aina Damia as best as I can forever," he said when met at his uncle's residence in Kampung Tanjung Musa, here, today.
The Form Three student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Jabi said he would always ensure that the four of them remain together forever and will not be separated.
"On the day of the incident, my mother advised me and Aina to take good care of Chinta and Qaseh before she left with my stepfather to attend a feast in Sungai Tok Pawang, Gurun. However, not long after, we were shocked by the news of the accident that claimed the lives of our mother and stepfather around 2 AM, about two hours after the accident," he said.
According to him, the four of them will continue to live at their uncle and aunt's house after the accident that claimed the lives of their mother and stepfather.
Meanwhile, Aina Damia said that although their house is not far from their uncle's house, she does not want to return there for now because it reminds her of her late mother and stepfather.
She said that she continues to miss them and always remembers her late mother's cooking, especially chicken curry and laksa, her favourites.
Meanwhile, Zuraina said that many people sympathize with the fate of her nieces and nephews and some have expressed their desire to take in and care for them after learning about the accident that befell the couple.
She said that some close relatives and friends have also expressed their willingness to help care for her late brother-in-law's children.
"I already regarded the late Noriza as my own sister, but I can't bear to separate her four children and will take care of all four as long as I can so that they can stay together. Azrul and Aina are very close to their younger twin siblings because they were the ones who took care of the twins whenever their mother and stepfather went to work," she said.