Children to sue driver involved in crash that killed parents

 

(From right) Nur Afni Khairizul with siblings Nur Erna Nabila, Nur Qurratul Ain, Nur Istna Nadira and Khairi Zafran (foreground).

PETALING JAYA: The family of Khairizul Mohamad Noor and Zuriana Hasan, who died after being hit by a driver alleged to be under the influence of alcohol, will take legal action against him in November.

Zuriana’s father, Hasan Ismail, said his family had hired a lawyer to fight for justice over the death of his daughter and son-in-law, which left their five children orphaned.

“We don’t think this is fair, maybe there will be appropriate punishment meted out once we take this case to court,” Hasan told FMT.

“The family will pay for it (legal services) ourselves.”

He said the driver had been informed of the family’s plan to file the suit, which had been delayed because of the various movement control orders (MCOs).

In the incident on Feb 9, 2020, Khairizul, 38, died at the scene from severe head and body injuries after the motorcycle he was riding with Zuriana, 35, was hit by a car at Km140.2 of the North-South Expressway heading north near the Perai exit.

Zuriana died two months later in the intensive care unit at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.

According to a Sinar Harian report, Seberang Perai Tengah police chief Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid previously said a breathalyser test found that the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Family members told FMT they had learnt that the driver had been released on police bail.

FMT has contacted the police for an update.

A child’s restless soul

Although it has been more than two years, the loss of their parents is fresh in the minds of Nur Afni Khairizul, 18, and her four siblings – Nur Istna Nadira, 15, Nur Erna Nabila, 13, Nur Qurratul Ain, eight, and Khairi Zafran, three.

The five are now in the care of their grandparents in Butterworth, Penang.

Afni said the driver had yet to meet the family, and added that her soul would not be at peace until justice was served.

The children in their last family photo with parents Khairizul Mohamad Noor and Zuriana Hasan.

“Until now, the driver has not come forward to apologise,” she said.

“Even if the driver does come forward, we still don’t know whether to forgive him or not.”

For Hasan and his wife, Asma Laili Muhammad, 60, their memories of Zuriana, especially during Aidilfitri, have never faded.

Hasan reminisced about how she was always very excited to prepare for the festivity.

“During the fasting month, she used to come to our house to make kuih raya,” he said. - FMT