Tearful mother pleads for all to let Surinder rest in peace

The late Surinder Kaur Bedi's family has pleaded with all quarters to let her rest in peace after she was buried according to Muslim rites on Monday.

Her mother, Nazirah Bibi (photo, centre), said it was her daughter's wish to be buried as a Muslim, and that any further speculation about Surinder's death or conversion should be put to rest.

"It's been some time now, perhaps over a year, that Surinder has expressed her intention to convert to Islam," she said when met at her home in Jelutong.

"She had declared her faith several times before she died, she had even told us that she wanted to be buried close to her dad and brother."

Nazirah's husband, Mohamad Qurban Ali @ Kirpal Singh, died in 2007 when he was 57. Two of her sons, Irfan Khan @ Narinder Singh, 49, and Balvinder Abdullah, 46, also passed away several years ago.

Surinder is survived by her three siblings Imran Khan @ Balbir Singh, 47, (photo, left), Mohamad Ilham @ Majinder Singh, 41 and Nor Sakinah @ Palvinder Kaur, 40.

The kitchen assistant in Prangin Mall was living with Nazirah before her she died last Saturday after being assaulted in Bayan Baru.

"We were very close, and I knew of her decision to convert to Islam, her only mistake was not registering her conversion," she said, wiping away her tears with her scarf.

Nazirah also urged certain quarters not to spread rumours about her relationship with her alleged murderer, a 55-year-old man remanded by police on Monday.

"She was a very good daughter, she knew the suspect as he was like a godson, who did odd jobs and renovated our home," Nazirah explained. 

"She never dated him."

The suspect had admitted to hitting Surinder with his helmet while drunk. She was unconscious in the Penang General Hospital until she died on April 1.

After her death, her brother Imran Khan claimed her body, and sought an endorsement letter from the Penang Mufti Department that she had converted to Islam.

However, the Sikh community questioned her conversion, saying it was "doubtful" as there were no records of her conversion.

This was confirmed by the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAIPP) yesterday, which keeps a registry of converts' details.

According to her childhood friend Hamidah Begum (photo, right), Surinder – known to friends and family as 'Kogee' – was a very responsible person who took care of her family.

"She was the one doing well and used to help her family financially, which is why we feel strange reading about her in the news, that is not the Kogee we know," she said.

"It is not true that Kogee was dating him (the murder suspect), but she was missing for two days before she died, and we suspect that the man had been extorting her for money," added the 45-year-old housewife.  - Mkini