Nureen Ain's mother still traumatised by sight of bauxite mining pool

KUANTAN: The mother of 10-year-old Nureen Ain Juwita, who drowned in a former bauxite mining pool in Taman Sungai Karang Jaya in Beserah near here last Saturday, is still traumatised by the tragedy.

Nor Habibah Aidil, 50, said she could not even look at the area as she would still 'see' her daughter drowning there.

"I cannot even look at the pictures of Ain (as Nureen Ain was fondly called) which had been shared by relatives over the incident. I just cannot believe that the area had claimed my daughter's life.

"She was my only daughter. Her death is a big loss to me ... but I have to accept the fate," she told reporters after receiving a visit from Pahang Women, Family Development, Communications and Multimedia committee chairman Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin at her home here today.

The mother of six, including three differently-abled children, said she was never aware of the existence of the former mining pool despite passing through the area almost on a daily basis.
From my observation, there had been piles of sand over there, said Nor Habibah.

Meanwhile, Shahaniza confirmed that the old bauxite mine, which was abandoned after the moratorium imposed by the government early last year, was operating illegally as the permit issued was for laterite extraction.

"The (operation at the old) mine is illegal and PTG (Land and Minerals Office) has taken several actions before this, including impounding the machinery at the site. We are still awaiting an official report from the PTG concerning the owner or company (involved)," she said.

Shahaniza said the matter would be discussed at the state executive council meeting tomorrow with focus to be given on measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

In the 5pm incident on Saturday, Nureen Ain and her two friends - Salsabila Zuhairi, 12, and Mahathir Mohamad, 7, - were found drowned in the pool.

The girl's grandfather, Aidil Omar, 78, had since intended to sue the parties involved in the illegal mining operations. — Bernama