Girl who lost arm in freak accident wants prosthetic arm

KUALA TERENGGANU: Nur Zulaikha Khumaira Zulkifli might have just lost her left arm, but the 7-year-old refused to let her disability break her spirit.

The girl’s arm was severed when an oversized sweater she was wearing became entangled in the back wheel of a motorcycle driven by her cousin in Kampung Binjai Bongkok, Marang, on Thursday.

However, in less than 24 hours after the accident, Nur Zulaikha was already anticipating the next course of action — to get a prosthetic arm.

“Aboh (father), when can I get a prosthetic arm?” she said as soon as she opened her eyes after a surgery at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital yesterday, much to her parents’ disbelief.

Due to the severity of her injury, Nur Zulaikha’s left arm could not be reattached.

Her father, Zulkifli Mohamad, 38, said he was shocked when he heard the question.

“That was the first thing she said as soon as she regained consciousness.

“How could she possible know that her arm could not be saved? My wife and I have been by her side to give her words of encouragement,” he said at the hospital yesterday.

Noor Aina Hananie Rozali, 18, Nur Zulaikha’s cousin who rode the motorcycle, said they were on their way to the village committee chairman’s house.

“I asked her to come along as I wanted to get an approval stamp for my scholarship application form to further my studies in college,” Noor Aina said.

“Khumaira (Nur Zulaikha) was sitting at the back, while my youngest sibling, aged 2, sat inbetween us.

“I realised the accident when the motorcycle had somehow slowed down and I heard a cry of pain.

“When I looked back, she (Nur Zulaikha) was already on the road,” she said.

Despite losing her arm in the 9.30pm incident, Nur Zulaikha appeared calm as she sat at the site before she was sent to a nearby clinic.

Pictures of the SK Tasek Year 1 pupil and her severed arm went viral.

Her mother, Rohidayu Siup@Yusof, 29, said the sweater Nur Zulaikha was wearing belonged to her.

“Nur Zulaikha wore my sweater for the first time last night.

“I rushed to the scene when I learnt about the accident and accompanied her to the clinic before she was referred to the hospital to have her arm reattached.

“However, we were told that it could not be done as the injury was too severe,” she said.

PIC BY GHAZALI KORI Nur Zulaikha Khumaira Zulkifli recovering from a surgery in Kuala Terengganu yesterday. With her is Nur Zulaikha’s mother, Rohidayu Siup@Yusof (second from left).