Article: Cousins drown trying to save family cat

Friday May 15, 2009

By R.S.N. MURALI

BESUT: Two cousins drowned while they were trying to rescue the family cat from a fish pond in Kampung Gong Pak Mentosa, Tembila, here yesterday everning.

The bodies of three-year-old Munirah Abdul Ghafar and two-year-old Akib Ikmal Syukri were found by family members after several hours of frantic search.

Akib Ikmal’s mother Norazila Abdul Ghafar, 23, said the two were playing outside the house while she was busy doing household chores inside.

Her mother, Safinah Jusoh, said she heard her grandchildren calling out for the pet and saying “kucing masuk air (the cat is in the water)” before they went missing.

“We believe they might have attempted to rescue the kitten before they drowned,” said Norazila who came from Johor Baru with her only child five days ago to visit her parents.

She said family members found the

bodies of the two children in the fish

pond owned by her father, Abdul Ghafar Mohamad, 49, near their home at about 6.30pm after her calls for the children went unanswered.

Norazila, who has yet to inform her husband Syukri Hisham, 30, about the tragedy, said he had called her in the morning asking for Akib because he missed him.

Besut OCPD Supt Kamarudin Mohd Zakaria said a post-mortem would be conducted to determine the cause of death and if there was any foul play.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 15 May 2009