MY WIFE SWAPPED DUTIES, CHOSE TO WORK TODAY - CRASH VICTIM'S HUSBAND

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The husband of the woman who was killed in a crash along Jalan Mount Erskine this morning had not expected such a tragedy to befall her as the call he received only notified him that she had been involved in a crash.

Shahrin Not, 50, said that he and his three children immediately rushed to the Penang Hospital where they discovered that his wife, Norehan Abdul Ghani, 50, had died and was asked to identify her.

“Before my wife went to work, she told me she had swapped off days as she was not supposed to be working today. She left at 4 am in the factory van and I got the call from my child’s friend at about 7 am that she was involved in an accident.

“My wife has taken the factory van for over 15 years, after the factory she worked at stopped using buses and she has worked for 22 years in the factory in Bayan Baru as a factory operator,” he said when met at the hospital’s forensics department here today.

According to the police, Norehan died at the scene of the crash when the van she was in lost control and hit a retaining wall, while six women passengers and the driver, aged 21 to 53, suffered severe injuries and are being treated at the Penang Hospital.

Shahrin, who works as a security guard, expressed sadness when he viewed his wife’s body and was still in shock over the entire incident as he related how he had fallen asleep in the living room the night before and only woke up when his wife was about to leave for work early this morning.

He also shared that when he identified her, her body did not show any severe exterior injuries and according to the doctor, Norehan suffered internal injuries, especially to her ribs.

"She has not been sick and was healthy, on the way to work she managed to send a message in our family WhatsApp group and shared a video of her favourite cat. She really loved cats, especially strays.

"My children and I have accepted this even though we are very saddened by the accient, we will surely miss her as she was a good wife and mother,” the husband of 26 years said.

Meanwhile, the victim’s youngest child, Siti Shahidani, 21, said her mother told them yesterday that she wanted to take them all back to Kampung Permatang Bogak, Butterworth on Tuesday as she wanted to get some items there.

“Yesterday mother said, we will go to Seberang (her hometown) on Tuesday. I didn’t expect this to happen, mom really never showed any changes and last night we all watched television together,” she said as she held back tears.

Norehan is survived by her three children, Siti Shahida 25, Muhamad Shahidan, 23, and Siti Shahidani and will be buried after Asar prayers in Kampung Permatang Bogak.

Police are still investigating the crash under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

-- BERNAMA