KAMPAR, Oct 28 – The search and rescue operation is continuing, except for a brief spell from 6.30pm when it was stopped due to heavy rain, for the two primary schoolgirls who went missing in the Kampar River after a suspension bridge collapsed on Monday night near Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang near here.
Kampar police chief Supt Aziz Salleh said more than 300 personnel were taking part in the operation.
The girls, V. Divyahshree, 12, of Sekolah Kebangsaan Tamil (SRJK) Gopeng and M. Davadharshini, 11, of SJK Tamil Mambang Di Awan, went missing after they and 20 other pupils fell into the river when the bridge collapsed as they were crossing it.
Nineteen of the pupils were plucked out from the swift-flowing waters but N. Dina Deve, 11, of SJK Tamil Mambang Di Awan, drowned. They were among almost 300 pupils from about 60 primary schools who were to have participated in a unity camp near the school.
The parents of Divyahshree and Davadharshini offered prayers and sprinkled flowers near the collapsed bridge.
The parents waited by the river as the search and rescue team extended their operation up to 30km downriver to Sungai Galah near Batu Gajah.
Six officers from the Public Works Department in Kuala Lumpur were also at the scene today to study the structure of the collapsed bridge. – Bernama
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It appears that there were no teachers on the bridge at that time. That means the children were on their own. Where were their teachers who were supposed to look after them??
Is there going to be another Task Force to look into this BLUNDER. The education ministry and its minister should take the blame.
Enquiry after enquiry is carried out in Malaysia after tragedies like this, but few are brought to book. Its just HANGAT HANGAT THAI AYAM only. As a result the same tragdies happen again and again. ITS TIME FOR CHANGE. THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED ITS PEOPLE AGAIN AND AGAIN.