PETALING JAYA: The families of seven Orang Asli students who went missing from a boarding school in Kelantan eight years ago have agreed to a RM1.41 million settlement with the government.
The settlement brings an end to the families’ pursuit for justice.
In August 2015, the seven SK Tohoi students ran away from their school hostel in Gua Musang out of fear of being reprimanded by their teacher for bathing in a nearby river without permission.
Of the seven, only Noreen Yaakob, then 11, and Miksudiar Aluj, then 12, survived, after they went missing for 47 days in a nearby jungle.
The remaining five – Noreen’s younger brother, Haikal, eight; Ika Ayel, nine; Juvina David, seven; Linda Rosli, eight; and Sasa Sobrie, eight – all died in the jungle. Sasa’s remains were never found.
In 2018, the families sued the government and eight public officials for negligence.
According to a report by The Star, an agreement on the settlement was reached before the trial, scheduled for this week, could be heard.
“We have spent much time and money to get to this point, but I am thankful to the team of lawyers and experts that have finally helped the families find some closure,” said lawyer-activist Siti Kasim.
Siti was supposed to appear as the first witness in the trial.
“The incident has been extremely traumatising for both the surviving students and families involved as the thought of losing one’s child after entrusting them to a boarding school must have been extremely painful,” she said.
Siti said the money from the settlement would be shared equally among the families.
