Assistant principal dies in S. Korea
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian teacher died in South Korea, while attending an international conference on special education on Friday.
Normala Abdullah, 56, who is assistant principal of a special education secondary school in Taman Ehsan, Kepong, fainted at 10.45pm at the hotel in Daegu where she stayed.
She was rushed to Catholic University Medical Centre in Seoul.
Her brother, Zainal Abidin, 54, said he was informed of her death by one of her children.
“She had just arrived at the hotel when she collapsed in the lift. The hotel called an ambulance, which arrived in five minutes.
“Medics provided immediate treatment, but my sister remained unconscious and was taken to the medical centre.”
He said his sister’s eldest child, Muniratul Akmal Mohd Azaiuddin, 31, was in South Korea to arrange the repatriation of Normala’s body.
He said he last saw his sister a week ago.
“She did not show any signs of illness and was looking forward to the conference. She is a good sister. She takes care of her family and siblings.”
He said the medical centre would conduct a post-mortem tomorrow and the result would be out on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Selangor Education Department director Mohd Salleh Mohd Kassim said he would assist the victim’s family, including in the repatriation of her body.
“The deceased’s body will be sent home with help from the Malaysian embassy after the post-mortem, and will be buried in Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh.”