MP was planning family vacation in Tasik Banding, says brother

PONTIAN: Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik had expressed his intention to bring his family to a vacation at Tasik Banding in Perak, says his brother Nor Hisham.

He said the trip was the subject of their last conversation around 5am on Saturday.

“Earlier, he had attended several programmes with the people in his constituency. When he arrived at our mother’s home in Kampung Serkat Laut here, he met with several PKR members at about 3am.

“The meeting lasted for about two hours and after that, he called me out and that was when he chatted about going to Tasik Banding for a family vacation, ” he said yesterday.

Nor Hisham, 32, said he later went to bed.

But a few minutes later, he received a call from someone from Pontian Hospital saying that Dr Md Farid had passed away.

Daud Sanusi, 62, said he accompanied his nephew Dr Md Farid to a community programme in Pontian Jaya around 9pm on Friday where the latter spoke about unity.

“Dr Md Farid also apologised to the people during his speech if he didn’t manage to visit their areas in the constituency due to his packed working schedule, ” he said.

Norma Mohamed, 67, said her son had never complained about helping other people, especially those in need.

She said Dr Md Farid, who was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Unity and Social Harmony, even used his own personal savings to fund people’s medical operations and medical needs.

“The people in Tanjung Piai loved him for his low-profile personality and friendly attitude, ” she said when met at her house here.

Norma said her son always had time to meet the people no matter how late it was as he said it was his responsibility as a wakil rakyat.

She said her son called his personal assistant to accompany him to the hospital because he felt a sharp pain in his chest before he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah conveyed his condolences to the family.

“Dr Md Farid was at Istana Negara to perform the Friday prayers together with His Majesty and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the surau in conjunction with the Warriors’ Day celebration this month.

“He also had an audience with His Majesty after performing the congregational ‘Solat Istisqa’ (prayer for rain) to ease the worsening haze, after the Friday prayers, ” said a statement issued by the Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal and Umno vice-president and former mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin also issued messages of condolences.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is Johor MCA chairman, also expressed his condolences to the family.

“Dr Farid is a young and talented leader. His passing is a great loss to the country. My condolences to his entire family, ” he said on Facebook.