“I truly hope he is still alive” – Mother Hopes Missing 5yo Son Swept Away at T’ganu Beach Will Be Found

Siti Hajar Ismail, 42, hopes that rescue teams will be able to locate the body of Muhammad Zarif Mohd Hazahari, 5.

She said that on the day of the incident, her fifth child of six siblings had gone to the beach with his aunt, Siti Nurul Aina Sahirah Ismail, 31, along with two male cousins, to get some fresh air.

“I honestly never imagined something like this could happen. I couldn’t sleep all night thinking about what might have happened to Muhammad Zarif.”

“I truly hope he is still alive, but if otherwise, I accept the will of Allah SWT. My hope is that his body can be found soon, in whatever condition,” she said when met at Batu Rakit Beach.

Search and rescue operation still ongoing

Meanwhile, rescue personnel continued the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the five‑year‑old boy who is feared to have drowned after the incident.

Siti Hajar added that Muhammad Zarif was supposed to begin his schooling at a nearby Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (PASTI) centre.

However, she found it unusual that her son appeared unenthusiastic and repeatedly expressed his reluctance to go to school, saying he wanted to stay home to accompany his three‑year‑old younger sibling.

“He also told me he didn’t want to wake up early and instead asked me to go to school tomorrow. I never imagined that those would be his last mannerisms that I will remember for the rest of my life,” she said tearfully.

In addition to the SAR operation by rescue personnel, Siti Hajar said her mother, Khatijah Yusof, 65, has been continuously reciting verses from the Quran at the scene since yesterday (9 January), in hopes that Muhammad Zarif will be found safely.

The incident occurred at about 6:43 PM yesterday, when the child was believed to have been swept away by waves while washing his feet at Batu Rakit Beach.