A GRIEVING mother has spoken out following the Pulau Perhentian boat tragedy, alleging that the boat operator dismissed repeated requests for life jackets, claiming the short journey would be safe despite impending rain.
“We kept asking for life jackets because it looked like it was about to rain and there were many small children onboard,” said A Sanggetha, 39, whose husband, S Arumugam, 40, and three-year-old daughter A Sarrvihka were among the three who perished in the tragic incident on Saturday night.
“But he (the boatman) said they were wet and it was fine since the resort was only a short distance away,” she added, recounting the terrifying night when their boat capsized in rough seas near Pulau Perhentian.
The family, along with several others – 15 people in total from four families – had dined on Pulau Perhentian Kecil and were returning to their accommodation on Pulau Perhentian Besar around 9pm when the incident occurred.
“Shortly after we departed, it started raining heavily. It was very dark, and the boat began to rock violently,” she said, speaking from her home in Taman Bayu Aman.
Sanggetha held tightly onto her nine-year-old daughter while her husband clutched their youngest. A powerful wave then struck, overturning the boat.
“I managed to pull my eldest daughter out from under the boat, and we were rescued by a man nearby who saw what had happened,” she said.
She and her daughter were taken to a nearby clinic for treatment. “We then searched for a phone to contact my husband’s friend. That was when I found out both my husband and youngest daughter had died, along with another child from one of the other families.”
The private sector executive, still reeling from the tragedy, said the trip was meant to be a joyous occasion marking her husband's 40th birthday — their first family holiday to Pulau Perhentian.
“Right now, I can’t think of anything else. Everything happened so fast,” she said. “I only hope no one else has to go through something like this. For now, I must accept this loss and stay strong for my only surviving child.” - June 30, 2025
