Family of drowned teen demands answers from ministry, cops

 

Zulfan Iqbal Zaiful’s father, Zaiful Ibrahim, claimed the coach in charge of the football team during the training was ‘playing with his handphone’ when his son drowned. (Envanto Elements pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

The family of a 16-year-old footballer who drowned during a training session last November, has lodged a police report alleging that negligence and abandonment contributed to his death.

Zulfan Iqbal Zaiful, a form four student and goalkeeper at Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail, Johor, drowned on Nov 25 last year while undergoing training in a 5m-deep diving pool at the school.

“Since the day of the incident until today, we have not received any updates from the education ministry or the police regarding the cause of Zulfan’s death,” his father, Zaiful Ibrahim, said in a statement.

Zaiful, who filed the police report at the Jalan Tun Razak police station in Kuala Lumpur, also said none of his family members have been called by the police to assist in their investigation.

In the police report, Zaiful claimed that the coach in charge of the team was seated a distance from the pool and was “playing with his handphone” when the incident happened.

Zaiful also alleged that there were no lifeguards or safety equipment available in case of any emergency at the pool.

According to his teammates, Zulfan was underwater for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before being pulled out unconscious, bleeding from the mouth, nose, and ears.

“The family is deeply saddened by the incident and wants a fair, transparent, and thorough investigation to be conducted by the education ministry and police,” Zaiful said.

Zulfan, who was on JDT FC’s radar due to his talent as a goalkeeper, was the fourth of five siblings. - FMT