AN Orang Asli mother broke down in tears when recounting the loss of her son in a tragedy in Gua Musang, Kelantan that made national headlines three years ago.

Midah Angah’s grief consumed six other family members who also started crying in a media conference in Kuala Lumpur today to highlight their civil suit against Malaysian government agencies over the loss of their children.

Other Orang Asli villagers who were also in the small hall at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall then started sobbing, when Midah, 41, of Kg Penad, started crying the minute she held the microphone.

Her message was drowned out amid her wailing and the mother, whose 10-year-old son Haikal Yaakob died in the episode, reverted to the native language of her Temiar tribe.

Another parent, Sobri Latif, 25 put his head on the shoulder of Ayel Ajip, 50, who was seated next to him on the stage and hugged his neighbour to stop them both from crying.

Sobri lost his daughter Sasa, who was eight at the time, while Ayel, lost his little girl Ika, 9.

The three together with four other children – Juvina David, 7, Linda Rosli, 8, Norieen Yaakob and Miksundiar Aluj, 11 – had gone missing from SK Pos Tohoi in Gua Musang on August 23, 2015.

They had run off into the jungles near their school after allegedly being scolded by their teachers.

Norieen and Miksundiar were found alive by rescuers after surviving 46 days in the wilderness.

Only the remains of Sasa and Juvina were later found in the jungle. The other three children were never discovered.

Two of the families, Sobri and Midah were from Kg Gawin while the other four were from Kg Penad, both of which lie deep in the forests of Ulu Kelantan.

Norieen, now 13, was withdrawn and pensive throughout the press conference, and according to Midah, is still scarred from the ordeal.

The girl had supposedly seen the other children, including her own brother, Haikal, slowly die from injuries sustained in the jungle, said their family lawyer Siti Kassim.

The body of one child was ripped apart and eaten by giant monitor lizards, the lawyer said.   

“It’s been three years but we will never forget the incident,” said Ayel.

“It’s like the government does not care what we went through. As if we don’t matter to them.”

The family is suing the government for negligence and for breaching its constitutional duty to protect the children which were under the care of the school.

The suit named the government and eight officers from the Kelantan Education Department, the police and the Orang Asli affairs department.

At the time they disappeared, the seven children were staying in the school’s hostel.

The parents are seeking general damages that will be decided by the court, said Gokul Radhakrishnan, a lawyer representing Norieen and Midah.

A team of six lawyers from five firms are representing the six families on a pro bono basis.

The suit was filed at the Kota Baru High Court on August 13. The next date for case management has been set on September 18.

“The suit is also seeking declarations from the government to solve issues related to Orang Asli such as the conditions of their schools,” said Gokul. – August 24, 2018.