Boy’s wish to enter primary one unfulfilled

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PAPAR: A seven-year-old boy’s wish to start his primary one class next year would not come through as he was feared drowned after falling into a river here on Tuesday.

Mohd Saidin Sahul was believed to have drowned when he followed his mother to wash clothes in the Kogopon River at 3pm.

His mother, Saudah Zakaria, 41, when met at the scene, said she went to the river with her two sons to wash clothes but never thought that it would be the last time for her to see her older son.

She said she saw Saidin and his younger brother, five-year-old Mohd Fadil Sahul, swimming near her when she was washing clothes.

“I did not expect such an incident to happen as I was keeping my eyes on them to ensure they would not go far from me. But after tightening the rope of a small raft, I saw my younger son whose face had turned pale.

“I did not know what had happened because Fadil, with his pale face, only looked at me without saying anything. He seemed very shocked and after a few minutes, he finally called his brother’s name and was crying,” she said.

According to Saudah, she ran to get her husband’s help.

“The water was calm and nothing showed that my son was trying to get my help. I did not hear anything,” she said, adding that maybe it was fate that God took her son from her.

Saudah recalled that before the incident, his son took off his clothes and asked her to wash them.

“If the clothes were on, maybe his body would float easily. I really hope the fire and rescue personnel can find his body so that we can bury it in an appropriate way based on the Muslim religion.

“He was such as brilliant boy who was really self-reliant. When we were busy with our daily work, he cooked to feed his younger brother and sometime he invited his father to eat together,” she said in tears.

Saudah added her husband, Sahul Diahi, 39, was transfered to work in Kampung Kogopon and they had never thought that it would give them such a bad experience.

“My husband also helps in the search for Saidin’s body although the fire and rescue and police personnel are there,”  she said.

Meanwhile, PBK 1 (senior fire and rescue officer 1) cum Scuba Unit head of Sabah, Jeffry Abd Rahman, when met at the scene said the search operation started on Oct 19.

“On Oct 20 till Oct 21, the search operation continued with more fire and rescue personnel from the various zones, including from Sipitang, Papar, Kuala Penyu, Tambunan, Penampang, Sembulan and Kota Kinabalu.

“On Wednesday, the operation involved seven scuba teams and three personnel and ended at 6pm,” he said.

Jeffry hoped that with the increased number of fire and rescue and police personnel, the operation would be more easy.

He said they had installed a net and had brought in a jet ski as well as new equipment to ensure the operation would be carried out effectively.

As at press time yesterday, Mohd Saidin’s body had not been found yet.