Victoria Bridge tragedy: Family suffers 2nd loss in less than a year

KLUANG, Malaysia - A family is once again mourning the loss of a child after their youngest son, Abdul Rafee, 3, tragically fell from Victoria Bridge in Enggor, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, on Monday. This is the second loss for the family in less than a year, as their eldest daughter died four months ago after a four-month illness that doctors were unable to diagnose.

Abd Halim, 42, the victim's father, expressed his grief, saying his family had still not fully come to terms with the death of their eldest child when tragedy struck again. Halim recounted how they had taken a holiday during the National Day break, as they had not been on a holiday together for over a year. Rafee was excited about the trip and brought joy to the family with his cheerful demeanor. The boy particularly loved chicken rice, often opting for rice with soup.

Halim described the incident in detail. He had inspected the bridge before taking Rafee for a walk along the historic structure. However, their attention was momentarily diverted when several people attempted to take photographs on the bridge. In an instant, Rafee stepped on a rotten piece of wood, causing his hand to slip from his father's grasp and resulting in a fall from about five meters up.

Halim expressed his hope that the public would not hastily blame him and his wife, emphasizing that they had done their best to ensure their children's safety. He also called for regular inspections and maintenance of old structures at tourist attractions to prevent similar tragedies. Rafee was buried at the Kampung Baru Muslim Cemetery early on Tuesday morning. Following the incident, the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council (MPKK) promptly closed public access to the bridge for safety reasons.