KUALA TERENGGANU: Little Mohd Hasif Mohd Halim, 8, initially appeared stoic when met at his grandmother's home in Batu Arang yesterday.
However, the reality that he is now an orphan eventually hit home when he was allowed to view the remains of his parents and three sisters, all of whom drowned during a tragic outing to the Belukar Bukit waterfalls, Hulu Terengganu yesterday.
Mohd Halim Saiman, 44; his wife Nurul Adilah @ Salaiwati Awang, 39; and their daughters Nurul Arifah, 16; Nurul Hidayah Aina, 11; and Nurul Izzah, 10, all perished when they were swept away by strong currents in the river.
Hasif, the youngest in the family and the only one who was on the riverbank at the time, is the sole survivor.
His family, who originally hailed from Puncak Alam, Selangor, was buried at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Batu Arang, Batu Enam, at 1.20am this morning.
Halim's family, including his parents and 13 siblings, traveled all the way from Kampung Parit Enam, Muar, Johor to attend the burial.
Hasif, who is a pupil of an Islamic school in Klang, was visibly distraught in the arms of his relatives and brought them to tears when he asked about his family.
Hasif's aunt, Dr Siti Sabariah Samian, 38, who is Halim's sister, said she would care for her nephew and raise him.
She said she would also fulfil Halim's wish of his son becoming a 'tahfiz.'
"Both my sons are also in an Islamic religious school, so Hasif can join his cousins," she said.