KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg announced yesterday that the state government would pay for the education of the daughter of a staff nurse killed in the Long Lellang tragedy, including medical school.
Euodia Then Suling, who is a 15-year-old daughter of the late Debra Moset, told reporters in Kuching yesterday that she admired her mother so much that she wanted to become a doctor and work alongside her. Debra was also survived by her son, 12-year-old Eugene.
During a speech at a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) convention in Miri yesterday, Abang Johari said he read the news about Euodia’s ambition of becoming a doctor.
“The Sarawak state government will bear Euodia’s education expenses until she becomes a doctor,” he said.
“Likewise for the children of the other victims. This is what gives me the spirit to find alternative ways for us to provide services to the people in rural areas, especially those in the interiors.”
Abang Johari’s announcement about paying for medical school for Euodia followed the state government’s earlier announcement about donating RM100,000 to each family of the five victims of the Long Lellang tragedy, besides full education sponsorships for their schoolgoing children via Yayasan Sarawak.
Tuition fees for Malaysians in private medical schools in the country can exceed RM600,000. MBBS programmes in public universities via the standard UPU pathway are heavily subsidised by the government but are highly competitive. The direct intake pathway can exceed half a million ringgit.
Besides Debra, the other four people killed in their 30s and 40s in a Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crash last September 8 were pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, assistant medical officer Alexson Adit Henry, and staff nurse Jessie Paya Jok. The four health care workers were from the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Zainol Afiq had two children aged one and five years, whereas Alexson left behind two children aged two and five years. Jessie Paya had two children of unknown age.
The Sarawak state government’s public communications unit (Ukas) reported Euodia as telling the media at a wake for her mother at their new home in Kampung Semadang, Siburan, Kuching, that she initially wanted to be a chef because she loved cooking.
“My initial ambition was to become a chef because I loved to cook, but then I saw my mother helping people and so, I wanted to know what it would be like being like her; I want to help people,” said Euodia, who is currently studying at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Penrissen No. 1 that is reportedly a top school in Sarawak.
Bernama reported state deputy transport minister (aviation and roads) Dr Jerip Susil as saying at the wake yesterday that the state government would provide counselling services to Debra’s widower, John Then Hua Ken, and their two children if necessary.
Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian, who also attended the wake, reportedly said the state’s shortage of more than 5,000 health care workers has been raised to the Public Service Department (JPA).
Debra, who died at the age of 40, was buried in the St. Patrick Church cemetery in Kampung Semadang earlier today.
CodeBlue previously reported that according to the Treasury circular WP 6.3, the government’s Ex-Gratia Work Disaster Scheme provides an RM20,000 lump-sum ex-gratia payment to the next-of-kin of federal civil servants who die while on official duty, besides additional monthly payments for surviving kin.
However, the federal scheme excludes coverage of contract or temporary officers, as well as Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributors.
Socso previously announced benefit payments for the families of the late Zainol Afiq, who was a private sector worker, and Dr Ainul Baraah, adding that Alexson, Debra, and Jessie Paya didn’t have records of Socso contributions.
At Dr Ainul Baraah’s funeral in Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu, Kelantan yesterday, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad simply told reporters that Putrajaya would expedite ex-gratia payments to the victims’ next-of-kin but didn’t specify the quantum or if all five families were eligible, including Dr Ainul Baraah and Zainol Afiq.
