Decision to stay home saves Effa’s life
KUDAT: Effa Sairun could easily have been one of the casualties in the four-vehicle collision in Kota Belud on Friday.
The 34-year-old said she was asked to join her relatives to send off Hamirah Salleh’s son Alibasa Alibaba to Kota Kinabalu International Airport as he was travelling to Australia to work.
On Friday at 5.50am, Hamirah and four other passengers, including three children, were killed when a Proton Gen 2 rammed into their Proton Saga.
The passengers were Alibasa’s cousins, Nursyikah Jumat, 3, and Aidil Jumat, 8, and their mother Neta Ramlan, 37, and another child Vera Alira Jalius, 6.
Alibasa, 24, who was driving the vehicle, and his fiancee Sarini Body, 21, were injured and are being treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“They asked me twice but I declined as I was tired. I had just return from the state capital.
“I was shocked when I received a call from Sarini at 6am saying they were involved in an accident. I thought they were nearby but they were in Kota Belud.
“We chartered a vehicle and went looking for them. We saw a fire engine at the scene but they were no longer there,” said Effa, who regarded Hamirah as an older sister.
Hamirah, Nursyikah and Aidil were buried on Friday night at the
declined to join the send-off as she was tired
Kampung Tajau cemetery while arrangements were made to receive Neta’s body from the hospital.
Rita Abdul, another relative who flew in from Kuala Lumpur on Friday night, said Alibasa was supposed to stay with her and her husband before flying off to Melbourne yesterday.
“He was supposed to take the 10pm flight to Kuala Lumpur on Friday. We were to fetch him and take him home.
“I am not sure what job he has got Rita Abdul (left) says her relative with her family in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. in Melbourne as it was arranged through a friend, Now, we don’t even know how to inform his friend,” she said at the family’s residence in Kampung Tanjung Kapor here yesterday.
Alibasa reportedly suffered injuries on his lower body and his condition is being monitored after undergoing an operation at 2.30am yesterday.
“We have not told him about his mother and the other passengers,” added Rita, 25.
was supposed to stay
The Gen 2 driver Frenwell Jefferey, 31, and passengers Lance Corporal Herlin Naxe Jefferey, 26, and Ellyzek Johnny, 28, were also killed.
Frenwell was reported to have lost control of the car and hit the side of an incoming Perodua Kancil before ramming into the Proton Saga.
A Toyota Hilux behind the Proton Saga landed in a drain after swerving to avoid hitting the cars.
The Kancil driver sustained minor injuries while the other driver escaped unhurt.