‘We were like bowling pins’
JOHOR BARU: “It was like a game of bowling, only that we were the pins,” said Mohd Arasshat Abdullah, 14, who was injured in a crash that killed eight teenage cyclists at the Middle Ring Road here yesterday.
“It happened so fast. I didn’t realise what had happened when the car hit us. It was like bowling, only that the car continued hitting the other ‘pins’ after we were hit,” he said at Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA).
Arasshat, who broke a leg, is an orphan and lives with his grandmother, Aishah Poli, 65, in Desa Mutiara flats.
Doctors may have to insert metal plates in his leg.
“We were just standing at the road shoulder when the car hit us,” said the school dropout.
Aishah said this was the first time her grandson had followed his friends for a ride.
“Normally, he just cycles in the neighbourhood.”
The eight teenagers were killed when a car ploughed into them near the Mahmoodiah Muslim cemetery at about 3am yesterday.
One of the survivors, Muhd Arif Salman, 15, could only think of his two friends when he regained consciousness at the hospital.
Arif, a Form Three student at SMK Permas Jaya 3, was lucky to have suffered only cuts on the head, lips and eyebrow.
His family did not have the heart to tell him that his two friends, Haizad Kasrin and Mohamad Azhar Amir, had died in the tragedy.
“Haizad? Azhar?” said Arif weakly as he was wheeled into a ward at HSA about 7am.
His brother, Mohd Aliff, 20, said the family could not tell Arif that his friends had died.
“We changed the subject as we are worried that he won’t take it well.
“I don’t know when my brother joined this group, but I believe it was during last year’s National Day celebrations when he joined a WhatsApp group for young cyclists.”
Another survivor, Muhammad Zulfadli Yusri, 19, said a few of the bikers started riding from his housing area in Stulang Darat.
“We came from different locations. I and some of my friends started our journey from Petronas (Inner Ring Road) and we saw others resting near the cemetery.
“We stopped by the road shoulder for about 10 minutes when we suddenly saw a car speeding towards us,” said Zulfadli, who has a broken right leg, during a visit from state Education director Shaharudin Sharif.
Permas Zone 10 Residents Committee chairman Anthony Lee said one of the residents encountered a similar incident two days ago.
“A group of boys riding modified bicycles who would gather in our neighbourhood, especially in the evening. Two days ago, one of the boys rammed into a car. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt.
“I sent the boy home and spoke to his parents, who did not know the boy was out riding a bicycle. I’m taking this opportunity to remind parents to be aware of their children’s whereabouts and activities.”
Sapuan Wagino, of Kampung Sungai Plentong here, said he forbade his son from cycling.
“But my 15-year-old son got angry with me. Teenagers don’t realise that parents are only looking out for them when they forbid them from taking part in certain activities.”