RM1.4mil for kin of ‘lost’ children

PETALING JAYA: Eight years ago, seven Orang Asli students who ran away from a boarding school in Kelantan were lost in a dense forest for 47 days, and only two were found – barely alive and badly emaciated.

Five others died in the ordeal.

Yesterday, their families found closure.

The government has agreed to a RM1.41mil settlement for the case, which saw the children, from SK Tohoi in Gua Musang, run away from the school hostel in August 2015 as they feared punishment.

Thankful to be alive: The two Orang Asli children who survived the ordeal with their lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijhar (photo from Siti Kasim’s Facebook page) and (inset) the two when they were found emaciated after being lost in a forest for 47 days.

After almost 50 days of an extensive search and rescue operation, only Norieen Yaakob, then 11, and Miksudiar Aluj, then 12, were found alive on the riverbank of Sungai Perias on Oct 9.

The remaining five children died, including Noireen’s younger brother Haikal, Ika Ayel, Juvina David, Linda Rosli and Sasa Sobrie.

This prompted the six grieving families to file negligence suits against the government in 2018.

The first trial four-day hearing of the case was scheduled at the Kota Baru High Court from Monday to Thursday.

According to lawyer Siti Kasim, the RM1.41mil settlement was agreed on after discussions between government representatives and the family’s lawyers outside of court just before the trial.

Siti: The incident has been extremely traumatising for both the surviving students and families involved.

Siti, who was supposed to be the trial’s first witness, said the settlement included RM60,000 in legal costs as well as another RM160,000 from insurance companies.

“We have spent much time and money to get to this point but I am thankful to the team of lawyers and experts that have finally helped the families find some closure.

“The incident has been extremely traumatising for both the surviving students and families involved as the thought of losing one’s child after entrusting them to a boarding school must have been extremely painful,” she told The Star yesterday.

Siti added that the RM1.41mil would be shared equally among the six students’ families.

Siti, in a video on social media, also showed Norieen and Miksudiar, who are now much older and healthy.