A family’s plan to settle into a brand new home just in time for the Aidilfitri festive season was crushed when the house they had built was swept away by a raging river of mud, a consequence of the June 5 Sabah earthquake.
Speaking to The Star Online‘s Stephanie Lee, Haili Salim and his wife Suhini @ Suhaini Japi expressed their grief over losing a home they had saved up to build in the village of Mesilau, near Ranau which received the brunt of June 5’s earthquake.
“The hard-earned money and sweat we put into building this house has now amounted to nothing. We have no more money and no house to move into,” Haili said.
Both Haili and Suhini are teachers with 20 years of experience under their belts. They have six children, aged between six and 21.
The family found out about the destruction of their would-be new home through social media, while they were staying at Suhini’s parents’ house.
“I was hoping the information being passed around was not true, but then my heart sank when some policemen came to my in-laws’ house, where we were staying with for the time being, and told us the news,” Haili said.
They probably saw images and videos such as this one, posted to Berita Harian‘s Facebook page, depicting the immense mudslides tearing away riversides and uprooting trees, along with the couple’s home:
“Who knew the mudflow and large boulders would come crashing down and wash our house away?” said Haili.
“What to do? It is what it is, I have to accept that our house is now in the river.”
