KOTA KINABALU: Dr Rumihati Abd Hamid, one of three Malaysians killed in a traffic accident in New Zealand on Friday, had visited one of her siblings over concerns for his health, before leaving for her ill-fated holiday two days later.
According to Dr Rumihati’s sister, Zaiton Abd Hamid, 61, the 49-year-old family physician had dropped by their eldest brother’s home to assess his wellbeing.
“It was (strange) that two days before (her trip), my sister and her three children went to (our brother’s house) to give him a blood test form and advise him to see a doctor.
“Usually, whenever it came to matters concerning health, we would go to her house.
“This time around, it was she who visited us,” Zaiton told NST at her home in Kampung Ulu Putatan, near here.
She said Dr Rumihati and her family were avid travellers who made annual trips overseas together, and recently visited Japan, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
In addition to Dr Rumihati, her husband Adanan@Adnan Jeman, 49, and one of their three daughters were killed when their car collided with a lorry in northern Kaikoura on the State Highway 1, at around 3.15am on Friday.
The couple’s two other daughters, who were critically injured in the accident, are fighting for their lives after being transported by helicopter to the Christchurch Hospital and the Wellington Hospital for treatment.
Zaiton said that the brother Dr Rumihati had visited before she left Malaysia, Othman Abd Hamid, is now en route to New Zealand to be by the side of his two surviving nieces.
She said that their family is on tenterhooks awaiting news on the two girls’ status.
“We were informed by Wisma Putra about the incident.
“We are waiting for information from our brother on (which of the three girls) is still alive. (Dr Rumihati’s) three daughters are aged 15, 13 and 11,” Zaiton added.