Ottrangknews Editor-in-Chief, Dato G. Kumaar Aamaan, has once again called on the government to take wise and immediate action to save children from becoming victims of drowning incidents in swimming pools.
Dato G. Kumaar stressed that he has repeatedly issued statements urging that every swimming pool — whether in hotels, public areas, or any facility managed by an organisation — must have at least one person skilled in swimming and lifesaving, always on standby whenever the pool is in use.
“There have been far too many lives lost,” he said, pointing out that parents and guardians are left traumatised after discovering the tragic deaths of their children. These preventable tragedies have left countless families devastated.
He added that pool operators and relevant authorities must take serious steps by enforcing the mandatory presence of trained lifeguards and ensuring that safety equipment is always available at the poolside.
These calls come in light of several tragic cases across the country.
Among them is the heartbreaking incident involving 16-year-old Zulfan Iqbal Zaiful, a talented young goalkeeper from Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail, Johor. Zulfan drowned during a training session in the school’s 5-metre-deep diving pool last November. His family has since lodged a police report, alleging negligence and lack of supervision. His father, Zaiful Ibrahim, claimed that the coach in charge was seated far from the pool and distracted by his phone during the incident. He further alleged that there were no lifeguards or safety equipment available at the time.
Zulfan’s teammates stated that he was underwater for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before being pulled out unconscious, bleeding from his mouth, nose, and ears. The family continues to demand a fair, transparent, and thorough investigation, expressing frustration at the lack of updates from the Education Ministry and police.
In another heartbreaking case, a four-year-old boy, Muhammad Al Fatih Ahmad Bakri, drowned at a resort pool in Kuala Nerus. His mother had brought him and three other siblings to swim at the resort. While his older siblings were swimming in the adult pool, Muhammad Al Fatih is believed to have followed them unnoticed. Despite the quick response from other visitors and medical personnel, the child was pronounced dead at the clinic.
There was yet another tragedy involving a 10-year-old boy who drowned in a hotel pool in Chukai, adding to the rising toll of young lives lost to drowning incidents.
Dato G. Kumaar concluded by advising all pool operators and enforcement agencies to take heed of these incidents and tighten safety protocols immediately to prevent further loss of life.