Foreman suffers triple loss

GEORGE TOWN: K. Amarish has been looking forward to the latest addition to his family. But it was not to be.

Instead, he lost his two closest family members – his 11-week pregnant wife Tan Li Gin and their three-year-old son A. Eonithin.

Tan and Eonithin were found washed ashore at the beach in Teluk Bahang at around 6.30pm on Wednesday.

The two of them were tied toget­her with a pink raffia string.

It was believed that the raffia string was tied to keep them toget­her in the water.

The couple, both 21, had been married for about three years and Tan was a housewife.

Amarish, a foreman, was at the Penang Hospital mortuary with about 10 family members and friends at around 12.20pm yesterday. He was in tears and could not speak to the press.

Amarish left the mortuary with his mother Goh May Lee, 44, and a male relative at 2.15pm before heading to the police station.

May Lee, in tears, described Tan as a quiet and hardworking daughter-in-law.

“She didn’t speak much at home, but she was a good girl. We can’t believe she’s gone forever.

“Her son Eonithin was so cute. He was the apple of our eyes,” said the distraught woman when met at the mortuary.

“She looked normal before the incident, and we did not hear of her facing any problems,” she said, adding that the family members were told about Tan’s pregnancy earlier.

May Lee, with whom Tan was staying with, said her daughter-in-law left home at around 11am on Wednesday with Eonithin.

“She seldom tells us where she goes but previously, she would be home after a few hours.

“We tried to call her later but there was no answer. We looked for them in Butterworth and on Penang island on Wednesday night but could not find them,” she said.

May Lee’s sister Lee Lee, 48, said she saw news of two bodies being found at Teluk Bahang on Thursday morning.

“I checked with May Lee and confirmed that Tan went out in a white T-shirt and pink shorts. After seeing the photographs, we suspected the bodies were that of Tan and her boy,” she said.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk Wira Chuah Ghee Lye said the mother and her son drowned.

“She was holding a Rapid Penang bus ticket in her palm when we found her body.

“We have ruled out foul play at the moment,” he told a press conference at North Seberang Prai police headquarters yesterday.