Family of five killed in accident buried together

BUTTERWORTH - The remains of the family of five who died in an accident at KM62 on the East-West Highway (JRTB) at Gerik-Jeli in Perak yesterday, were laid to rest in a common grave at Haji Abdul Rashid Mosque cemetery in Sungai Dua here, after the Zohor prayers today.

They were Mohd Rodhi Othman, 64, his wife Sharifah Rohana Syed Sagaf, 59; their daughter Siti Aishah Mohd Rodhi, 32; son-in-law Ahmad Khomaini Baba, 32; and six-year-old granddaughter Zara Hana Ahmad Khomaini.

More than 200 people consisting of family members, relatives and villagers attended the funeral.

Mohd Rodhi's mother, Mariam Mat, 82, said Mohd Rodhi, who is the eldest of eight siblings last contacted her on Friday afternoon, but he did not mention anything about going to Kelantan.

"That’s why when his son who works in Penang called me at 5 pm yesterday to say that his parents had an accident, I was so shocked but I thought it was just a small because my grandson did not mention any fatalities.

"(However) at 6pm, my son who lives in Kulim called to inform me that they had passed away. That’s when reality sank in and I was only able to sob and pray,” she said.

Mariam said the accident was especially devastating for her because it was not just the loss of her son and daughter-in-law, but also her granddaughter, grandson-in-law and her great-granddaughter who were very close to her.

Mariam said Mohd Rodhi was a government retiree who previously worked as a lecturer at a matriculation college, and lived with his teacher wife in Laguna Merbok, Sungai Petani in Kedah.

In the accident at about 3.45 pm yesterday, the family of five were travelling in a Perodua Alza car when their vehicle collided head-on with a Toyota Hilux pickup truck. - BERNAMA