Grieving family: Haswati (right) and her mother Zamila Md Noh, 66, (centre) with her daughters (from left) Qaidah Thaqifah, Qamarina Batrisyia and Qarisya Safea at their home in the FRU quarters in Sungai Senam, Ipoh.
IPOH: Even though he was not their biological father, Qaidah Thaqifah Mohd Yuslee and her sisters always saw L/Kpl Damarrulan Abdul Latif that way. He was one of the nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel who perished in an accident near Teluk Intan in Perak.
“He took good care of my mother and younger sisters when I was away,” said the 23-year-old, who studies at Universiti Malaysia Perlis.
L/Kpl Damarrulan, 33, lived with Qaidah Thaqifah’s sisters Qamarina Batrisyia, 21, and Qarisya Safea, 17, along with their mother Haswati Rosdi, 44.
She added that Haswati had trouble moving after suffering a mild stroke in 2018 and L/Kpl Damarrulan was always by her side throughout her recovery.
“He was a really good person who took care of me until I was able to walk again,” said Haswati, adding that they got married eight years ago.
“He accompanied me everywhere, including to the hospital for my check-ups.
“He also treated my three daughters from an earlier marriage like his own.
“We just celebrated our wedding anniversary last month,” she said when met at her home at the FRU quarters in Sungai Senam here yesterday.
Haswati said she last saw her husband on Monday morning, a few hours before he left for Teluk Intan.
“We had breakfast together and then went home to rest.
“He would kiss my forehead every time he went outstation for duty, but he didn’t that day before saying goodbye,” she said, adding that L/Kpl Damarrulan joined the FRU six years ago.
“On Tuesday morning, he sent me a picture of him inside a truck.
“Shortly after, I was informed that the vehicle got into an accident,” Haswati said.
The truck carrying L/Kpl Damarrulan and 17 others was on its way back to Sungai Senam from Teluk Intan on Tuesday morning when it collided head-on with a gravel-laden lorry.
Eight of the officers died at the scene while one succumbed to injuries at the Teluk Intan Hospital.
Of the nine injuried, five are still in critical condition, three others have been transferred to normal wards and one has been discharged.
