One-year-old boy dies after tree falls on him and his mother on Melaka beach

MELAKA: A one-year-old boy who was hit by a falling tree at Pantai Puteri beach has passed away.

The tragic news was shared by Pantai Kundor assemblyman Tuminah Kadi on early Sunday (Nov 13) morning.

"I received the news from Melaka Hospital that little Muhammad Zafran Ilman Mohd Syazwan passed away at 1.30am on Sunday(Nov 13)," she said on Sunday.

The child was being carried by his mother when the family from Bangi, Selangor was picnicking at the beachfront on Saturday(Nov 12) when the tree uprooted and fell on both of them at 6.30pm.

The child's mother in her 30's was also injured in the incident and was currently being treated at the same hospital while the father and two other siblings were swimming when the incident happened.

Tangga Batu Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Lim Ban Hong together with Tuminah rushed to the scene to help the family upon hearing the news about the incident while the former was on his way to his campaign trail on Saturday (Nov 12).

Lim later said he has included an additional pledge in his election manifesto to debut drone technology and address the scarcity of lifeguards at the popular recreational beach.

Apart from the Saturday incident, a six-year-old boy drowned at the beachfront on Nov 4 and there have been many similar incidents over the past years.

The incumbent Klebang assemblyman then added he would also ask the local council to trim the trees along the Pantai Puteri seafront.

He said using drone-based technology would also help the lifeguards to monitor the safety as well as risks posed to swimmers.

On Friday (Nov 11), Lim unveiled his Barisan Nasional manifesto for Tangga Batu parliament that includes, among others, resolving traffic congestion at the parliamentary constituency, problems relating to the Sungai Udang Landfill site, upgrading the economic status of fishermen and building a centralised business hub.

Lim will face Pakatan Harapan candidate Rusnah Aluai and Perikatan Nasional's Bakri Jamaluddin and Ghazali Abu of Gerakan Tanah Air and Independent Mohammad Shahril Mahmood in this 15th General Election.