The Star Malaysia

Please forgive my child, dad pleads to family of woman killed in crash

- By SHARANPAL SINGH RANDHAWA sharanpal@thestar.com.my

ALOR SETAR: The father of the 16yearold driver who allegedly rammed into a 65yearold motorcycli­st and killed her on the spot has asked the victim’s family for forgivenes­s.

The 59yearold man from Kuala Nerang said he understood that it would be difficult for the family to accept the circumstan­ces of her death, but hoped that they would forgive his daughter.

“It was a grievous mistake. What happened cannot be undone. I sin cerely hope that the victim’s family can forgive my daughter,” he said yesterday.

The man, who did not want to be named, said he did not know why his daughter decided to drive his car that day.

“She has not driven the car before and I really don’t know what made her do it.

“March 24, 2017 will be a date that I know my daughter will never forget.

“This incident will haunt her forever,” he said.

Motorcycli­st Lijah Mat Hashim died in the accident which occurred at Kampung Musa in Kuala Nerang near here at 5pm on Friday.

Lijah, a rubber tapper, left behind husband Abdul Wahab Junus, 65, and six children aged between 21 and 46.

Police said the teenager, who drove without a licence, failed to brake in time and rammed into Lijah’s motorcycle when she came out from a lane and tried to cross the road.

The girl lost control of her car and landed in a ditch.

Both she and a female passenger, also aged 16, sustained light injuries.

The man said he was still unable to get informatio­n from his daughter as she was still traumatise­d.

“She is back home now, but we are unable to question her due to her condition.

“I had just finished my haj course and was heading home when I was told about it by a friend.

“When I reached the scene, I could not believe my eyes when I saw the car in the ditch and firemen surroundin­g it.

“I also saw the ambulance taking the victim to hospital,” he said, adding that his daughter and her friend were taken to the hospital just before he arrived.

He said that he had met Lijah’s family members during her funeral at the Kampung Musa Muslim burial ground in Padang Terap at 11am yesterday.

Abdul Wahab, a farmer, said the girl’s father had asked for forgivenes­s from him.

“But, we will come to that later. “My wife has left us and she is gone forever.

“Let us have some time to ease our sadness,” he said yesterday at his home, which is located about 100m away from the scene of the accident.

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