Fadhlina visits family of late trooper Indiran, pledges help for siblings

 

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said she had instructed the District Education Office (PPD) to coordinate all forms of assistance and educational support required to ensure the welfare and continuity of the child’s learning are safeguarded. — Bernama file pic

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 22 — The Ministry of Education (MOE) will coordinate appropriate assistance for the youngest sibling of the late soldier Trooper K. Indiran, K. Maitraashini, a Year Six pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Convent Greenlane here.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said she had instructed the District Education Office (PPD) to coordinate all forms of assistance and educational support required to ensure the welfare and continuity of the child’s learning are safeguarded.

“I have asked the PPD, and its representatives are also present today, so that we can coordinate any assistance and educational support for this child.

“So the family need not worry, we will look into all her needs from time to time, specifically for her education,” she told reporters after visiting the family’s residence in Taman Sri Nibong here today. Also present was Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan.

Earlier, Fadhlina spent about 20 minutes meeting the late soldier’s mother, S. Usha, 52, and his three siblings to offer condolences and moral support, as well as to present contributions to help ease the family’s burden following the loss of their main breadwinner.

During the meeting, the Nibong Tebal Member of Parliament was visibly moved while listening to S. Usha’s account as she continues to grieve the sudden loss of her eldest of four children.

Apart from Maitraashini, the late Indiran’s other siblings are K. Varshini, 21, who is pursuing her studies at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), and K. Sarvien, 17, a student at the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) in Kulim, Kedah.

Meanwhile, Fadhlina said Indiran’s passing was a great loss not only to his family but also to the nation, particularly as it involved a security personnel who had served the country at a young age.

When met, Usha said she was deeply touched by the education minister’s visit, which provided moral support to her family as they are still coming to terms with Indiran’s passing.

She admitted the loss has been extremely difficult to accept, as Indiran had been her pillar of strength following the death of her husband, Major C. Kayamboo, a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) pilot who died in an aircraft crash in 2016.

“Every morning Indiran would send a ‘good morning’ message, call to ask whether I was awake, had eaten and had breakfast. He would inform me in detail where he was going and everything he was doing,” she said.

On Feb 18, Indiran, 22, who was undergoing an armour crew course at Kem Batu 10 in Kuantan, Pahang, was found unconscious before being rushed to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) and was pronounced dead the following day while receiving treatment. — Bernama