Malaysia's own Mowgli has skipped school for over a week following the mass death of the family buffaloes, and his teachers are getting worried.
They hope Muhammad Syukur Khamis, 15, will not become withdrawn due to the death of almost half of a herd of 110 animals, among which were his favourite buffaloes Semek and Tongkol, in his village of Kampung Kubang Bujuk.
The Kampung Boy, as he is also known after he gained international fame for his affinity to the animals, could afford a smile a couple of days ago when Semek was still alive but he has become depressed now that the animal too has succumbed to the bacterial infection.
Muhammad Syukur's teachers feel that counselling is the best way to make sure that the Form Three student's education remains unaffected by the trauma he is going through.
The Guidance and Counselling Unit of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Padang Midin has stepped in to ease the trauma.
Teacher Siti Rokiah Abdullah said Muhammad Syukur will be counselled from time to time and that several teachers are taking turns to talk to him.
She said the teenager is not just a student of the school but an icon who has popularised the country after photographs of him frolicking with the buffaloes went viral on social media and won awards for the photographers.
“On the first day of the death of some of the buffaloes, the school principal (Khairi Mohd Nor) and senior assistant for student affairs (Zaki Mohd Nor) called on Muhammad Syukur and his family to provide them with moral support,” said Siti Rokiah.
Yesterday, several representatives of the school management and teachers’ club visited the boy to ensure that he remains resilient during this difficult period, she said when contacted by Bernama.
Since Sept 9, fifty-two of the 110 buffaloes belonging Muhammad Syukur's father Khamis Jusoh had died, eliciting sympathy from Malaysians around the country.
Bernama reporters who went to the farm a few days ago found Muhammad Syukur, with deep sadness, caressing the dead animals and helping to bury them.
Replying to a question, Zaki said the school understood the boy's situation and will not take any disciplinary action against him for missing classes.
“We understand that this whole thing is a trying time, especially for a person his age. Imagine, he used to enjoy the company of his buffalo 'friends’ and now, all of a sudden, almost half of them are gone.
“The school will help Syukur to manage his emotions and be stable enough to return to classes as soon as possible,” he said.
Muhammad Syukur began frolicking with the buffaloes from an early age and was able to 'tame’ Semek when he was just nine.
The photographs of him playing with over 100 buffaloes went viral on social media and won accolades for the photographers at the international level, and the teenager has been sought after by photographers from many countries.
The buffalo farm in Kampung Kubang Bujuk is currently out of bounds to the public. The healthy animals have been injected with antibiotics by the Terengganu Department of Veterinary Services.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Sep 18 2020
Since Sept 9, fifty-two of the 110 buffaloes belonging Muhammad Syukur's father Khamis Jusoh had died, eliciting sympathy from Malaysians around the country. - Foto BERNAMA
Onn Hafiz harap ramai anak Johor di perantauan pulang sumbang bakti
Pelbagai usaha sedang giat dijalankan pihak kerajaan negeri bagi menarik minat anak jati Johor di perantauan itu.
Rakyat perlu kuasai AI untuk tentukan sendiri nilai moral, budaya dalam teknologi itu - PM
Jika AI tidak dikuasai, nilai dan moral dalam teknologi itu akan ditentukan oleh pihak-pihak yang menguasainya terutama dari barat.
Piala Thomas: Taiwan lakar kejutan singkir Denmark untuk mara ke separuh akhir
Kejayaan sensasi itu menyaksikan Taiwan berdepan Indonesia dan Malaysia menentang China di pentas separuh akhir pada jam 5 petang hari ini.
Gaji penjawat awam boleh dinaikkan dengan kawalan pengurusan kewangan - PM
Ketegasan dalam menguruskan kewangan juga mampu untuk memberikan lebih banyak manfaat serta barakah selepas ini kepada kumpulan terbabit.
Trio pecut wanita dalam senarai menunggu ke Paris 2024
Trio pecut wanita negara berpeluang beraksi di Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 apabila berada pada kedudukan pertama senarai menunggu untuk mengambil bahagian di temasya itu.
JAIM bakal perkenal Pusat Tahfiz TVET, tawar kursus selam dasar laut
JAIM bakal menjadikan Maahad Tahfiz Pulau Besar sebagai Pusat Tahfiz Program Pendidikan dan TVET yang turut menawarkan kursus selam dasar laut.
Jalan baharu sebagai laluan alternatif hubungkan Sibu-Kapit akan dibina
Satu jajaran jalan baharu akan dibina sebagai laluan alternatif yang akan menghubungkan Sibu dengan Kapit melibatkan jarak kira-kira 66 kilometer (km).
Malaysia, Jepun bincang kerjasama perdagangan, pertanian
Malaysia dan Jepun mengadakan perbincangan dua hala yang antara lain menyentuh mengenai perdagangan, pertanian dan peranan Malaysia sebagai hab halal yang boleh dimanfaatkan negara itu.
MSPO mampu penuhi permintaan EUDR, kata pakar
Panel pakar pensijilan yang dipanggil oleh MPOC telah menilai keupayaan pensijilan MSPO sebagai instrumen untuk memastikan pematuhan kepada EUDR.
SUKMA XXI bakal bawa limpahan ekonomi kepada Sarawak - Abdul Karim
Pemain industri perhotelan, inap desa dan pengusaha makanan serta pengangkutan di Sarawak bakal menerima limpahan ekonomi daripada penganjuran temasya SUKMA XXI Sarawak 2024.