Son of crash victims thankful for 'final precious moment' with parents

Supt Zulkifli (right) with the accident victims' son Muhammad Naim (second left) at Hospital Gerik on July 24. – Bernamapic

GERIK: Muhammad Naim Mohd Rodhi will hold on dearly to memories of his recent graduation ceremony as that was the last precious moment he had with his parents before they were killed in a crash at Jalan Raya Timur Barat (JRTB) of the Gerik-Jeli highway on Saturday (July 23).

"I received news of the accident, in which my sister, brother-in-law and niece were also involved, from a family member on Saturday evening.

"I was shocked to learn five family members were gone in an instant. The last time I met my parents was when they came for my convocation ceremony at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam a month ago.

"I accept their passing as fate,” said Muhammad Naim, 26, the youngest of five siblings, when met at the Forensic Unit of Hospital Gerik here on Sunday (July 24).

ALSO READ: Five-year-old girl killed along with four others in crash near Gerik

The five who were killed in the 3.45pm incident when their car collided with a pickup truck were Mohd Rodhi Othman, 64; his wife Sharifah Rohana Syed Sagaf, 59; their son-in-law Ahmad Khomaini Baba, 32; daughter Siti Aishah 32; and granddaughter Zara Hana Ahmad Khomaini, six

It is learned that the victims were on the way back to Butterworth after sending a relative to register at a pondok school in Pasir Tumboh, Kelantan.

Muhammad Naim, a groundskeeper in Shah Alam, said the remains of his family members would be buried at Jamek Haji Abdul Rashid Mosque Muslim Cemetery in Sungai Dua, Butterworth on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Afif Baba, 30, said the last time he met his brother Ahmad Khomaini was on Hari Raya Aidiladha in Dungun, Terengganu recently.

At the hospital, Gerik district police chief Supt Zulkifli Mahmood was also seen helping to expedite the process of claiming the bodies.

According to him four vans were on standby to transport the remains to Butterworth. – Bernama