KUALA SELANGOR: The tears flowed freely in Pasir Penambang yesterday.
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| Too Hui Min died on Wednesday night from a colon infection. |
The entire village, it seemed, had turned up for the wake of 18-year-old Too Hui Min, the National Service trainee who died of a colon infection on Wednesday.
They were joined by some of Hui Min's fellow trainees as they tried to comfort her family and other relatives.
There was naught they could do, however, as many of the teen's family members broke down when her body arrived at 3pm.
The person who seemed worst hit was Hui Min's aunt, Sia Poh Hiong. The 50-year-old broke down and sobbed uncontrollably then.
"I cannot believe she is gone. She is a good girl. She lived with me for five years. How can she die just like that?" wailed Sia as the casket was carried into the Too family home.
Hui Min's mother, Chin Kwei Choo, 52, was more composed but lashed out at the National Service Training Council for not taking her daughter to the hospital immediately after she complained of having an upset stomach.
"They should have taken my daughter immediately to the hospital and not waited until a few hours later."
Chin said she received four calls from camp authorities about her daughter's condition. The last one was to announce Hui Min's death.
"When I received that last call, I was numb. I was in shock but I sort of accepted it after receiving the previous calls."
Hui Min's father, Jong Sing, 55, was more stoic at the wake, standing at the head of the coffin, accepting condolences with a blank expression.
Her elder brother, Hin Woon, seemed mystified by her sudden death.
He said she sounded her usual cheerful self when she telephoned him on the morning of her death.
"She sounded really excited about the firearms training that morning. She even told me 'Don't be jealous, okay'," he said.
Hui Min's fellow trainees brought her belongings from the camp and handed them to the family.
The disbelief that their friend was gone clearly registered on their pale faces as they viewed her body lying in the casket.
One trainee, Elmilia Elbert, said Hui Min was about to start a week's leave from training so she could register for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia classes.
Before the group left for firearms training, she said, Hui Min went from bed to bed wishing everybody goodbye.
Another trainee, Noor Suriawati Saban, said Hui Min liked to chat with everyone, not caring what race they were.
She liked learning new languages, especially Korean, said Hui Min's 13-year-old sister Hui Wen.
"She learnt Korean while watching serial dramas and through the Internet."
Fighting back the tears while going through Hui Min's childhood photographs in the family album, Hui Wen said her sister had hoped to become a tour operator and travel the world.
Hui Min's funeral service is scheduled to be held at 11am today, followed by cremation in Meru.
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Reader's Comments
(Latest Comments Displayed First) |
Charles:
We hear again case like this.
Seriously, I do not like the
"Tidak apa" attitude. Again and again when can this be stop ? Are the authorities not doing anything to prevent this from happening again. Please don't "Tidak Apa" again. We want to see changes for the good!
michael:
My condolence goes to Too Hui Min's family. I am saddened to see death occured in the NS programme. It seems to be that RAKYAT have sent so many wake up calls since the first death...
Margaret, Kota Bharu:
So many deaths had occurred, and yet NS is allowed to continue. For what benefit and usefulness to our youths? This is not the first time and it won't be the last. It is not something new to RAKYAT.
We have absolute no confidence with NS. It is a waste of TAXPAYER money.
Krystle S, Klang:
It is shocking to hear that such an incident can happen to trainees... the denial or immediate response to a person who
complains of sickness should not have been taken lightly by the Camp commandant... this is not the first incident of
trainees death. Now we parents fear for the safety of our kids.
How many more incidents do we need... despite all kind of assurances... why incidents still happen?!
Ronny Tan:
Scrap the NS before another irreplaceable life is taken away! Those who are for this programme.. pardon but let me ask you... what would you then say or do or feel if this happen to your very own children?
calvin tan,kuala lumpur:
Scrap the national service for the good of all M`sians. After so many M`sian children`s lives have been sacrifice, it is proof that the authorities are not capable of running this programme. I dread & have nightmares that my children will be called up for this NS programme.
Dan, England:
How many teenagers have to die before the government scraps NS?
If this were to happen anywhere else in the world, there would be a public enquiry launched immediately, whilst all the NS participants be sent home and NS suspended.
Stop this frakas! We have NS trainers who are rapist, we have NS trainees dying needlessly due to food poisoning, now we have another death due to the incompetence of those running the camp! The health and safety of the trainees MUST BE paramount!
Aida, Kuching:
I never like the program and all these incidents and deaths just add to my reasons. This is another case of deaths in NS camp where the trainee was not taken to the hospital immediately after they have fallen ill. Question: how come these trainees die suddenly after short pain? What caused it? My conclusion to this nightmare is I will not send my children there if the Government decides to keep the NS program and I will go to the court if I have to because I don't want to leave my children open to such dangers. Government can replace its program but parents cannot replace their children!
raj:
Who will be responsible for all the 16 deaths that have occurred for the past 4 years of the program. Surely, we must come up with a proper justification on their deaths and to continue the program as we might keep seeing this happen. What is the action plan the government is going to take. Are there any?
Eugene Mark:
I would like to urge the parents & family of National Service trainees who died while undergoing training to please sue the Government & the Defence Ministry for negligence ie. failure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the trainees. Every death must be investigated & the Govt is answerable and liable to these parents for their dismal failure. The Govt must be made liable for forcing teenagers to endanger their lives by participating in the NS training scheme!!! By the way, how many children of VIP's attend these programmes?? They are probably exempted due to their parental connections!!
Avtar Singh:
Enough is enough! You don't hear of death's at other outdoor camps in Australia, Europe or America. If there are deaths, its extremely rare and usually there is a full and transparent investigation and people are held ACCOUNTABLE. When was the last time the government released the results of ANY investigation to any of the deaths or even sacked or took criminal action against any of the camp leaders?
NS does not have my support anymore. As much as it was a good idea, our leaders have proven they are appointing the wrong people to manage these facilities and putting our children's lives at stake.
NO MORE!
Siti Hasnira:
A general health checkup should be compulsory before entry into National Service. As it is, does the camp authorities even know what blood type each trainee is in case of emergencies?
penang:
For 18 years, her parents made sure not even an insect bites her...but what happens? NS has taken away this child from her parents forever and ever... My deepest condolences to Hui Min's family. May her soul rest in peace...
siti, sarawak:
This is a Wake Up Call to the M'sia Govt. STOP this NS Programme now before more death of the teenagers. At present, too many inexperience staff involved. Therefore it is advisable to halt that programme for the time being until the staff are well trained and experienced with good knowledge. It involves live of the young people. With death like this give a very bad image of our country to our neighbouring countries especially.
Sad:
National Service should be ABOLISHED!!!
Japanese, Malacca:
National Service personnel must be accountable for any lost of trainees. Must be taken to court for justice.
Daniel :
wow truly a pathetic and sorry for her...the NS camp should take things seriously and not delay and delay and delay just like that
Hilmi Hamzah:
This is a tragedy which happened during NS training, could be purely coincidental. However, thorough investigations should be made immediately on NS trainers. This should be done objectively, without prejudice.
Kumar,Klang:
This is another sad case of losing our teenagers while on NS training. The authorities should screen all youths before and during training. Trainees should be immediately sent to a hospital if they complain of being unwell and discharged from the programme if found medically unfit. Trainees must be taught to seek immediate medical attention if they are unwell. Camp Commanders and officers must be held responsible for the injury or death of a trainee if they have been negligent.
Jean, KL:
How can this be? How can parents and family trust the government? There are precious lives involved when they trust the goverment to educate their children... not for the children to end up DEAD in the camp!
James,Petaling Jaya:
The government had been trying hard to convince the people it is good for the future generation.
But with with so many incidents and death rates are rising, I would suggest the training to be halted for time being. I strongly believe we do not have the right people and trainers to run the NS program. I always wonder are the trainers treating the children like soldiers? Are the trainers having the attitude that NS training is another "No Pain No Gain" learning experience Are they caring in enough to ensure the wellbeing of the children? Could Hui Min's death be a case of trainers's negligence in the area of caring for the well-being of participants? It is not a case of misadventure for sure.
I think the authorities owe us, the parents of Anak Malaysia an answer as to why one of our Anak Malaysia lost her life in a program that was suppose to improve them as a person.
The NS Program being only four year old has charted a high record of death compare to an outdoor training school existing in Malaysia for closed to 50 years now and involved in more rigorous physical activities.
My condolences to Hui Min's family. And I would like to see this is my last one too. It is not YOUR child that die yesterday but the child of a responsible parent who supported the NS program and the NS authorities has to take responsiblity for this. Make it safe or stop it.
hisham, Kangar:
I urge the authorities to look more seriously on this issue, and take the appropriate action to ensure the same will not happen in the future. Don't let the people lose their confidence in the National Service training.
Suthi, KL:
This is seriously getting out of hand. Every now and then we are hearing about deaths during NS training & many from seemingly simple medical conditions. The questions that need to be asked: Was her condition diagnosed accurately at the hospital the first time? Was she seen by a specialist? Do government hospitals (located near NS camps) have highly-trained medical specialists who can properly diagnose medical conditions that seem common (like an upset tummy, fever, etc) but in actual fact are more complicated and in some cases serious ailments? If the answer is NO to all the above, then the NS training should be halted until improvements can be made.
Pearl, Kuala Lumpur:
How many more children need to die before the government is agreeable stop this National Service crap? Can we just stop this National Service fiasco NOW?
In the first place, the government is not equip or have the proper and adequate experience to conduct such exercise. From day 1, there were so many problems ranging from petty issues like transportation to big serious issue like death of a trainee. The government have to admit that they are just not capable of running such event!!
We can all feel sad and sympathize with the parents of a dead NS child but we will never feel the pain and sorrow... so, I strongly urge all the relevant ministers and god knows what to put themselves in the shoes of the parents whose child is so brutally snatched away. Would these ministers be as calm as they are now and continue to support this NS program if their child die during the program? I doubt it....
Hamilton Bacon:
There is no doubt that National Service is useful and important for our youths to experience. But every so often, we read about yet another tragic death at the camp which means the end of life for yet another youth with a bright future. It should be stressed that one NS death is one too many, and there have been deaths on a very regular basis. Before the programme is continued, the authorities should first ensure that no more deaths occur.
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