‘Where is my child?’ A mother’s grief at the mortuary after Kedah kayaking tragedy kills two Sarawakian teacher trainees

ALOR SETAR (April 6): A mother’s grief spilled into the corridors of Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah as she arrived to claim the body of her daughter, one of two Sarawakian teacher trainees who drowned in a kayaking incident in Kedah.

“Where is my child? Mummy loves Joey … mummy doesn’t want Joey to die …” she cried, her voice breaking as she called out for her daughter in the mortuary.

Ling Ling Siang — known as Joey — 20, died after her kayak capsized off Pantai Merdeka near Sungai Petani on Saturday, in an outing that has since raised questions over safety and oversight.

Her parents had travelled from Sibu, first flying to Kuala Lumpur before making the long journey by road to Kedah. They reached the hospital at about 4.57pm yesterday, according to Sin Chew Daily.

Moments after arriving, Joey’s mother was overcome with emotion, breaking down as family members gathered around her. The couple were later escorted inside to complete identification procedures.

The incident occurred during a college-organised outdoor activity involving 35 students from the Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) Kampus Perlis.

Kuala Muda police chief Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan said Joey and fellow trainee Christopher Ling Jia Siang, 21, are believed to have fallen into the sea at about 5pm after their kayak was struck by strong waves.

Authorities are also investigating whether the kayak became entangled in a fisherman’s net, which may have prevented the pair from surfacing.

Several other kayaks reportedly capsized during the activity, but those involved were rescued.

Hanyan said the bodies of both victims were recovered at about 7.30pm, roughly two and a half hours after the incident.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Education said it is arranging immediate assistance for the victims’ families, including psychosocial support, with priority given to their welfare and well-being.

“MoE expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the two Perlis campus IPG students involved in the incident during an off-campus outdoor education programme on Saturday. We hope their families are granted strength and resilience in facing this difficult time,” it said.

The ministry added that the case is under investigation by the relevant authorities, while an internal probe has been launched to review compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“All educational institutions under MoE are reminded to ensure that all outdoor activities strictly adhere to existing SOPs, with participant safety given the highest priority,” it said.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing. — Malay Mail