ALOR SETAR, March 15 — The family of Mohd Tarmizi Shuib who was injured in the shooting incident in a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand can only hope that he recovers quickly, while his son who is still missing is found safe.

His sister Zarina Shuib, 53, said her brother, 42, migrated to New Zealand about a year-and-a-half ago after his eldest daughter, 19, received an offer to study in a university there.

"I only learnt about the news this afternoon, at 1.30pm, after I was told by another sister in Penang... we were shocked and did not know what to do because we had tried contacting Tarmizi’s wife but could not reach her.

"For now, we can only pray that all will be fine and hope Haziq (Tarmizi’s second son, 17) is found safe,” she said when met at her home in Hutan Kampung near here today.

Zarina said the last time she met Mohd Tarmizi was in November last year when his whole family returned to Malaysia for a holiday.

Zarina said when Mohd Tarmizi said his whole family was migrating to New Zealand, she advised him to think it over properly as they would be living in a foreign land.

"I had a bad feeling (about it) but he said it was okay because before migrating there, they had lived there.

"They lived there for about three or four years when his wife was pursuing her doctorate degree there, so they were used to the conditions there.

"He resigned from his job, his wife who was a lecturer in UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) opted for early retirement so that they could move there, they both found jobs there,” she said, adding that Mohd Tarmizi was the youngest of six siblings.

Zarina said the family really hoped to be able to be in contact with Mohd Tarmizi’s family there. Mohd Tarmizi had four children (a girl and three boys)

She said special prayers will be held to pray for Mohd Tarmizi and Haziq. — Bernama