The two Lim children who perished in the Penang fire that also killed their grandmother and mother never knew that they had been selected for the ‘Good Girl’ and ‘Good Boy’ awards for their respective classes this year.
Both Lim Jia Yinn, 8, and her brother Lim Yin Chun, 9, were pupils of SJK (C) Li Tek ‘A’.
This morning, headmistress Tan Saw Hoon led a group of teachers and students of the school to pay their last respects to the fire victims.
Tan placed two trophies before Jia Yinn’s casket – one for winning the second prize in Chinese story-telling and the other the first prize in constructing sentences in Chinese based on pictures given.
Jia Yinn and Yin Chun’s classmates also wrote personal farewell notes to their friends.
The ‘Good Girl’ and ‘Good Boy’ trophies will be presented to the siblings this Sunday, just before their final journey.
Tan told the New Straits Times that both Jia Yinn and Yin Chun were good students in the school.
Jia Yinn is the third best pupil in Standard Two, while Yin Chun is the second best pupil in Standard Three.
“Jia Yinn was well aware that she will be getting the two trophies today. However, both she and her brother had no idea that they had been selected for the ‘Good Girl’ and ‘Good Boy’ award for their respective classes this year.
“Nevertheless, we will get them ready and present it to both the siblings this Sunday, before their funeral proper,” Tan was quoted as saying.
She added that the teachers and students were deeply saddened by the children’s sudden passing.
“Their classmates in 2M and 3M are still crying in school until now. They will be sorely missed,” she said.
Yesterday, MCA party leaders paid their respects to the family of Tanjung MCA Youth Chief Lim Swee Bok, who has been grief-stricken by the tragic fire.
Earlier reports:
Nov 16, MCA Man Declines Offers to Pay for Family’s Funeral, Says It’s His Obligation
Nov 15, Penang MCA Leader’s Family Wiped Out in Fire