Sombre mood as Orang Asli children laid to rest

The four caskets are brought to rest at Kampung Penad for the Orang Asli community to pay their last respects before the remains of the four children were carried to the burial site. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 26, 2015.Family members and villagers were overcome with emotion as the four small-sized caskets containing the bodies of the pupils who went missing in the jungles of Gua Musang, Kelantan, arrived at 1pm at Kampung Penad yesterday ahead of their funeral.

The women folk let out choking sobs even as Rela members hoisted out the caskets, which were covered in white cloth, out of the four-wheel drives they were transported in from the Gua Musang Hospital.

And as they placed the caskets on the ground of a makeshift platform right in the middle of the village, families and neighbours of Ika Ayel, 9, Haikal Yaacob, 8, Linda Rosli, 8 and Juvina David, 7, quickly gathered around in an outpour of grief.

 The caskets were not opened due to the decomposed state of the bodies and colourful flowers had been placed on their caskets at the hospital itself before they began the three-hour journey from Gua Musang to the village.

The rough terrains and slippery, muddy tracks slowed down the journey as several vehicles, travelling in a convoy to the village, got stuck in deep muds and had to be pulled out using ropes.

Back in the village, family and friends let out wails and sobbed loudly as they mourned the loss of the four children who were found more than a month after they went missing from their school hostel on August 23.

One of Ika's relative gripped her coffin and repeatedly said: "She was only in school".

Many were seen kneeling by each of the caskets to say short prayers for the children.

The funeral was also attended by members of non-governmental organisations and the staff of the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa). It was not clear if teachers of the school had attended.

The caskets are carried up a hill in a 10-minute hike to the burial site near Kampung Penad. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 26, 2015.An hour later, the caskets were once again lifted up by Rela members and carried to the burial site, some 400 metres away from the village. It was a 10-minute hike up a small hill and across a small river before reaching the burial site on top.

Four small graves had already been prepared for the children, who would be laid to rest side by side.

The graves were neatly lined with bamboo branches, rattan mats and sarong cloth all around and on the ground as per the belief of the Temiar Orang Asli to make it as comfortable as they could for the dead.

The solemn mood continued with a 10-minute prayer by the Temiar shaman. He then gave instructions for the coffins to be placed into the graves.

After that, the families began taking out things like clothes, personal belongings and utensils that belonged to the dead children and arranged it in the grave, all around the coffin.

The last item put into the grave were plastic flowers by the parents and then the villagers began covering the grave with more bamboo branches and leaves, to resemble a place to stay for the deceased.

Only after that, the grave site was covered with soil. Several fires were also built along the way back to the village to "cleanse" those who attended and make sure that the spirits of the dead do not follow them back.

Parents of the children, including Midah Angah (Haikal's mother), Ayel Ajeb (Ika's father), Rosli Alik (Linda's father) and David Muasam (Juvina's father), were too distraught to speak to the press.

Ika, Haikal, Linda and Juvina went missing on August 23 from their school hostel in Pos Tohoi along with three of their friends Mirsudiar Aluj, 11, Norieen Yaacob, 10 and Sasa Sobrie, 8, apparently fearing reprimand after being caught swimming in the river near the school.

Mirsudiar and Norieen (Haikal's older sister) were found alive in a malnourished state on October 9. Sasa still remains missing but police said they had new information on her whereabouts from the two who survived.The final resting place is prepared for the four Orang Asli children who died in the jungle near Pos Tohoi where they were attending school. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 26, 2015.

- TMI