Family portrait: Mazupi (third from right) with Khairul Ikhwan (white cap), Fadzlenna (second from left), Muhammad Umar (in Khairul’s arm) and other family members during a family outing.
PETALING JAYA: The road accident that claimed the lives of five members of a family in Ayer Keroh on Dec 24 last year has left Datuk Mazupi Abdul Rahman with deep scars.
In the blink of an eye, he lost his son Khairul Ikhwan Mazupi, 32, daughter-in-law Fadzlenna Ramli, 32, grandson Muhammad Umar, two, as well as his in-laws Ramli Ab Wahab, 66, and Fauziah Jaafar, 69.
Mazupi, a retired senior police officer, said the shocking incident was too much for the family to endure.
“The sadness that we are feeling is immense, but we have accepted this adversity from the Almighty. Right now, we can only pray for my son, daughter-in-law, grandson and both of my in-laws.
“We are focused on our two grandchildren who are still recovering from the accident as they not only require physical care, but also emotional stability.
“It is still a challenge for us to take them for treatment at Hospital Serdang,” he told The Star yesterday.
Muhammad Uwais Al-Qarni Khairul Ikhwan, seven, and Sofea Humaira Khairul Ikhwan, four, are still unable to sleep properly, thus needing a lot of attention and care, day and night.
The two children were discharged on Dec 28 and taken to his home in Bandar Baru Bangi.
They are currently undergoing follow-up orthopaedic treatment at Hospital Serdang and child psychiatry sessions at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Mazupi said his grandchildren’s condition has stabilised, but they are unable to walk or go to school for the time being.
“When they were first admitted, they were unaware of what had happened to their parents, grandparents and brother. On Dec 27, following the advice from the Hospital Melaka psychiatric specialist, they were informed of the tragedy,” he added.
“They cried a lot, but after being consoled, they calmed down.”
Mazupi expressed gratitude to everyone who came to visit them, including the help from government agencies, employers, families, and friends of his late son and daughter-in-law.
He also shared his views about the importance of road safety in Malaysia, adding that there are vehicles that are not properly maintained, thus posing a risk to other road users.
As such, he urged diligent enforcement be carried out by the Road Transport Department and the police.
“The authorities should also further tighten inspections of commercial and public transport vehicles so that cases of mechanical problems can be prevented.
“Accident-prone areas should be illuminated and drivers must be issued compounds immediately,” he said.
Mazupi also suggested that a study be carried out by the Transport Ministry and expressway concessionaires to prevent vehicles from veering across to opposite lanes.
The Dec 24 incident was caused by a wheel that had detached from a bulk cement carrier, then being hit by an express bus, causing the bus to crash past the barrier into the opposing lane.
