Latest news with #RantauAtan
New Straits Times
06-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Orang Asli father loses all five children after sons drown in river
MACHANG: Two Orang Asli brothers who drowned while fishing in Sungai Gilat were the last surviving children of their parents, who have now lost all five of their children. Their father, Rantau Atan, 45, said his sons—18-year-old Irruwan and 16-year-old Rahidi—had worked alongside him in oil palm estates and recently on a watermelon plantation in Kuala Krai. "They were good boys. Always willing to help since young. They supported us in any way they could," he said at the Machang Hospital Forensic Medicine Unit. The siblings were swept away by strong currents and a whirlpool yesterday while fishing with relatives. Their bodies were recovered this morning at separate locations along the river. Rantau, who identified his sons' bodies today, said he was shocked by their deaths as both were good swimmers. But the grief was compounded by the fact that they were his only surviving children. "Before this, we lost three daughters—one in a road accident, two to illness. Now, it's just me and my wife," he said. The boys' remains will be taken back to Kampung Deraman in Rompin, Pahang, for burial. The family had been in Kuala Krai for a week-long job tending to watermelons, along with over 30 other Orang Asli workers from their village. — BERNAMA
Barnama
05-05-2025
- Barnama
Two Orang Asli Brothers Drowned In Sungai Gilat, Hardworking And Close To Family
MACHANG, May 5 (Bernama) -- Two Orang Asli siblings who were found drowned in Sungai Gilat, Kampung Lubok Kawah, Kuala Krai, were known as close-knit children who were diligent in helping their family. The victim's father, Rantau Atan, 45, said both of his sons had helped him in an oil palm plantation in Rompin, Pahang since they were young and they had worked for over a year tending to a watermelon crop in Kuala Krai. "They are good children and since they were young they have been willing to work to support the family. "Before going to Kuala Krai, there were no strange changes in them. I was very surprised when I was informed that they had drowned because they were both good swimmers, but they had probably never faced the strong current and the whirlpool of the river,' he told reporters at the Machang Hospital Forensic Medicine Unit today. Rantau attended the identification process of the body of his eldest son, Irruwan Rantau, 18, before going to the Tanah Merah Hospital with his father-in-law, Hamzah Yahya, 62, and several friends to identify the remains of his youngest son, Rahidi Rantau, 16. Rantau said he accepted the passing of his two children and was consoled that their bodies were found in a short period of time. 'Previously, I had lost three daughters due to road accidents and illness. Now, Rahidi and Irruwan have also gone. "It's just me and my wife, Noriah Hamzah, 30, after all five of our children died," he said in a mournful tone. According to him, the remains of both children will be brought home and buried in their hometown in Kampung Deraman, Rompin, Pahang, after the post-mortem. Today, Bernama reported that the bodies of the two brothers were found drowned in two different locations, namely in Pengkalan Pasir, Paloh Rawa, Machang at 8.50 am, and in Pengkalan Pasir, Bukit Panau, Tanah Merah at 10 am today.
