LUMUT: The Ministry of Higher Education has pledged to assist in repatriating the bodies of two Malaysian students who tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand over the weekend. Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir mentioned that the ministry is currently gathering information about the students in collaboration with Wisma Putra.
Dr Zambry added, “At this point, we do not have all the details about the incident. The ministry will support in fulfilling the necessary requirements to ensure a smooth process, including repatriating the remains. However, we will defer to the families for decisions as discussions with them need to take place regarding funeral arrangements.” He made these comments to reporters after distributing donations to students, mosques, and suraus in the Manjung district during the Breaking Fast with Umno Lumut Division event at Maahad Tahfiz Bayt Al Ikhlas on Saturday (March 30).
The Minister extended his condolences to the grieving families and assured that the ministry is also actively seeking updates on the condition of three other Malaysian students who were injured in the accident.
Prior to this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, confirmed in a statement that two Malaysian students lost their lives in a road accident at Lake Tekapo at 1:45 pm local time on Saturday. The statement mentioned that the crash involved five Malaysian students, with the remaining three being airlifted to Christchurch Hospital on the South Island for urgent medical treatment.
A spokesperson for the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, responding to inquiries from Bernama, verified the identities of the deceased as Megat Ashman Aqif Megat Irman Jefni and Wan Nur Adlina Alisa, both of whom were students at the University of Canterbury. The three injured students were identified as Nur Firas Wafiyyah, Lya Issable Anak Walton, and Muhamad Faris Mohd Fairusham, studying at the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington, respectively.
