[SpeavaJap]

Sunday January 9, 2011

Stab victim wanted to turn over new leaf

By AUSTIN CAMOENS
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KOTA TINGGI: Teenager Nur Ain Ashikin Jemedi, who died after being stabbed repeatedly and doused with acid by a jealous lover, was trying to turn her life around.

Her elder sister Marlina Jemedi, 31, said Nur Ain, 17, used to be a “problem child” but was determined to turn over a new leaf after regretting her wayward past.

“She often skipped school and spent hours hanging out with friends until late at night,” she said at her home in Kampung Baru Sungai Redan here yesterday.

Marlina said Nur Ain’s attitude changed after she was sent to a rehabilitation centre in Malacca in 2008.

“She would spend her time at home, taking care of her niece and helping out with household chores,” she said, adding that her family was finding it hard to cope without Nur Ain.

The teenager had been fighting for her life at the intensive care unit of the Sultan Ismail Hospital since the attack by Habin Noor Sulaiman, 42, on Dec 16.

She succumbed to her injuries at 8.40am on Friday.

Habin pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and causing grievous hurt and was sentenced by the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court on Jan 3 to 17 years in jail and five strokes of the cane.

He was said to have attacked Nur Ain, who was 24 weeks’ pregnant, after learning that she would be engaged to another man.

Marlina said her family was still angry with Habin, who had been treated by her late father as part of the family.

“I don’t think we will ever be able to forgive him for what he did. How could he do such a thing to someone whom he claimed to love?” she said.

Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Osman Mohamed Sebot said in light of Nur Ain’s death, police had reopened investigations, adding that a post-mortem was carried out on Friday.

“We will refer all new findings to the public prosecutor’s office for further action,” he said.