Families & Friends Devastated Over the UTAR drownings

Just updating on the sad story. Below is the story from Star. For those who want to leave a message on James Khor’s blog click here

I won’t blog further on this topic and wish them peace and their friends and family our condolences. This is to remind us while we enjoy  our university days to enjoy it responsibly and to think of the consequences of our actions. And to those current students and future university students enjoy life and be safe.

Reported from The Star

SUNGAI PETANI: It was the kind of phone call no parent would want to get.

But that was what factory manager Yew Siew Beng received at 8pm on Sunday when a policeman told him that his daughter Shy Gin, 21, had been swept away at the Batu Berangkai waterfalls.

“I waited the whole night for a miracle that my daughter would still be alive,” said the 58-year-old. His wife and son had rushed to Kampar.

“My hopes were dashed when I saw her picture in a Chinese newspaper the next morning,” he said.

Yew said he would have talked Shy Gin out of going to the waterfalls if he had known about the trip.

“This is because she has just learnt how to swim.”

He said Shy Gin returned home from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) in Petaling Jaya two weeks ago and informed the family that she was preparing for her final-year thesis in Chinese Studies.

“The day before she left for Kampar, my wife and I had advised her not to go near any kind of water, be it the sea, a river or waterfalls,” Yew recalled.

“She allayed our worries by saying that she was big enough to take care of herself.”

A wake will be held at the house of Shy Gin’s grandfather at Taman Mahsuri Phase 2B in Padang Serai. Her body is expected to be cremated on Thursday.

Shy Gin was one of three Utar students who drowned at the waterfalls in Kampar.

In Butterworth, the family of Yew Ghim Chnieh, 20, is devastated that his dreams of studying abroad had been dashed.

His grandfather Ng Sze Xian, 72, said the second-year Science student was eager to continue his studies overseas.

“He was a bright student,” Ng said at the wake at the family house in Jalan 9, Kampung Valdor in Sungai Bakap here yesterday.

Ng said his grandson would drive his mother and siblings (Yew Siang Teng, 17, and Yew Thong Koon, 14) to pay him a visit in Kuala Kurau, Perak often.

It was especially hard on Ghim Chnieh’s mother, Soo Hwa.

“Her husband Yew Kok Heng died of cancer five years ago,” said Ng.

Soo Hwa, he said, was hopeful that Ghim Chnieh could support the family after he had completed his studies.

Ghim Chnieh’s uncle Yew Kok Foo, 56, said his nephew was a well-liked person.

“He did not drink liquor or smoke,” he said. “He was a responsible and diligent young man.”

His funeral will be held at the Berapit crematorium in Bukit Mertajam at 10.30am today.

In George Town, the body of James Khor Wan Kai, 20, was brought to the Penang Hokkien Cemeteries funeral parlour yesterday.

A family member said the body would be cremated at the Batu Gantong crematorium at 12.30pm today.

The ashes is expected to be placed at the Beow Hong Lim Columbarium in Air Itam, Penang.

The report from NST

KAMPAR: Dozens of family members, relatives and friends of the three Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) undergraduates who drowned at the Batu Berangkai waterfalls here yesterday turned up at the mortuary as the bodies were released today.

The mourners wept openly as the remains of James Khor Wan Kai, 20, from Halaman Macalister, Georgetown, Penang; Yew Ghim Chnieh, 20, of Kampung Valdor, Sungai Bakap, Penang; and Yew Shy Gin, 21, from Taman Sejati, Sungai Petani, Kedah; were taken to their respective hometowns.

Khor was the only child in the family. His father Khor Ewe Kok, 51, said he met his son two weeks ago when he came to Penang, stayed with them for a week and left for holidays to Langkawi, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur.

Yew Ghim Chnieh’s uncle, who declined to be identified, said he received a call at 8pm and rushed to Kampar with family members.

“Ghim Chnieh is the eldest of three siblings; he was a jovial and easy-going guy who would make friends easily.”

Ghim Chnieh’s father died five years from cancer.

Shy Gin’s lecturer identified only as Koh, described her as a hardworking student. She was majoring in Chinese studies. She was the youngest of three siblings.

Meanwhile, Rashid Arshad, an employee of the Kampar district council, who lives in the area, said so far this year, six people had drowned in the waterfalls.

“There are four spots along the waterfalls which are risky,” he said.

Kampar police chief Supt Abdul Aziz Salleh said the question of safety precautions will be raised during the meeting with the district council.

“We want to find ways to ensure such incidents do not recur,” he said.

“There are signboards warning of the dangers along the waterfalls. Maybe we need more warning signs.”

In the incident, yesterday evening, four undergraduates had gone to the waterfalls for a swim, but a sudden gush of water swept them away.

One of them escaped with bruises.

Khor’s body was found 300 metres away by villagers at Kampung Badak Berendam about 9.40pm while Shy Gin’s remains were discovered at the Bukit Terang orang asli village, about two kilometres from the scene at 10pm. Ghim Chnieh’s body was found just after midnight not far from where Khor was found.

Police today advised the public against going to Batu Berangkai Waterfall for picnics during the current weather conditions. Kampar district police chief Supt Abdul Aziz Salleh said although the place looks safe, the area could be dangerous for picnickers when it rains.

KAMPAR: Dozens of family members, relatives and friends of the three Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) undergraduates who drowned at the Batu Berangkai waterfalls here on Sunday turned up at the mortuary as the bodies were released yesterday.

The mourners wept openly as the bodies of James Khor Wan Kai, 20, of Halaman Macalister, George Town, Penang, Yew Ghim Chnieh, 20, of Kampung Valdor, Sungai Bakap, Penang and Yew Shy Gin, 21, of Taman Sejati, Sungai Petani, Kedah were taken to their respective hometowns.

Wan Khai was the only child in the family. His father Khor Ewe Kok, 51, said he met his son two weeks ago when he came to Penang, stayed with them for a week and left for holidays to Langkawi, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur.

An uncle of Ghim Chnieh who declined to be identified said he received a call at 8pm and rushed to Kampar with family members.

“Yew, the eldest among three children, was a jovial and easygoing guy who would make friends easily.”

His father died five years ago from cancer.

Shy Gin’s lecturer, identified only as Koh, described her as a hardworking student.

She was majoring in Chinese studies. She was the youngest among three siblings.

Meanwhile, Rashid Arshad, an employee of the Kampar District Council, who lives in the area, said so far this year, six people have drowned at the waterfalls.

“There are four spots along the waterfalls which are dangerous,” he said.

Kampar police chief Supt Abdul Aziz Salleh said the question of safety precautions would be raised during the meeting with the district council.

“We want to find ways to ensure such incidents do not recur. There are signboards warning of the dangers at the waterfalls . Maybe we need more warning signs.”

In the incident which occurred on Sunday evening, four undergraduates had gone to the waterfalls for a swim, but a sudden gush of water swept them away.

One of them escaped with bruises.

Khor’s body was found 300 metres away by villagers at Kampung Badak Berendam at about 9.40pm while Shy Gin’s body was discovered at the Bukit Terang Orang Asli village, about two kilometres from the scene at 10pm.

Ghim Chnieh’s body was found just after midnight not far from the first body.