Dose of comfort for parents of late soldier

JERANTUT: It was mixed feelings for both Halijah Ahmad, 58, and her husband Mohd Zan Omar whose son Sjn Rosdi Mohamad Zan was killed in Lebanon in his mission with the Malaysia Battalion 5 (Malbatt 5) which is part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) peacekeeping mission on Aug 23.

To them, the loss of their son in the mission was something hard to overcome. However, they were relieved when the 4th Brigade chief Brigadier Jeneral Ahmad Tajudin Abd Ghani visited their home in Felda Padang Piol here.

During the visit, Brig Jen Ahmad presented a cheque amounting RM10,583.61 as a payment for their son’s role in the army.

The amount was part of the total RM46,718.91 for the Sjn Rosdi’s services. The difference was already paid to Sjn Rosdi’s wife Aniza Ariffin last month.

Brig Jen Ahmad said Halijah would also receive RM733.43 per month as her son’s pension.

“While Sjn Rosdi widow Aniza will receive some RM3,300 per month from her late husband’s pension payment including for their children Muhamad Syafiq Haikal, seven, Nurul Fatin Najwa, six, and three-year-old Nurul Damia Batrisyia.

Sjn Rosdi, 32, was killed after the tow truck he was in went out of control and plunged into a 15-metre deep ravine near the town of Houla on Aug 23.

His colleagues in the tow truck L/Kpl Nur Syahied Taib, 26, who was driving, and L/Kpl Mohamad Aizuwan Atan, also 26, were injured in the incident.