As is typical for many boarding school students, 19-year-old Faris Najmi Arbain bid farewell to his family after he was dropped off by both his parents at the Politeknik Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (POLISAS) campus in Kuantan, Pahang last Saturday (February 4th, 2023). But what would have been an ordinary trip would end in unthinkable tragedy for the young man, when his parents met an untimely end in a horrific car accident.
19-year-old M’sian student loses both parents after they dropped him off at campus
Speaking to local newspaper The New Straits Times, Faris recounts how his parents, 48-year-old Rosmayati Bakar and 47-year-old Arbain Baharudin, had sent him off to school while en-route to an aunt’s house in Kerteh, Terengganu. At the time, they were also travelling with three of his siblings, 20-year-old Farah Najwa, 12-year-old Fatin Najla, and 10-year-old Faiqa Nabila.
Not too long after dropping him at his school, Faris would suddenly a WhatsApp message from one of his siblings, informing him that they had been involved in a traffic collision.
“They had dropped me off around 2.30pm. Only around an hour later, one of my siblings who was in the car texted me on WhatsApp, saying that they had been in an accident.” he told members of the press at the cemetery.
He only came to learn about the severity of the crash when his uncle suddenly visited his school to take him home and informed him that both his parents did not survive the accident.
“I thought it was just a small accident. My world collapsed when I was told that both my parents had died,” he said.
Had been on their way to an aunt’s home when they were met by tragedy
Faris parents, who were both teachers at Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan (SMAP) Kajang, perished instantly at the scene when the Toyota Estima MPV they were travelling in crashed at KM 274 of the LPT2 at 4.00pm.
His siblings sustained injuries but survived and were being treated at Kemaman Hospital, reports Berita Harian.
“I believe both my parents were probably tired and didn’t manage to get any rest after sending me. They continued their journey to Kerteh,” Faris adds.
While shocked and devastated by the loss, he said he is grateful that his siblings survived and accepted his circumstances.
Rosmayati’s younger sister, 47-year-old Rozeta Bakar, said that her sister had informed her that her family would be spending the night at her home on account of the Thaipusam public holiday.
“She said she wanted to come over and spend the night. I then prepared rice and dishes for them.
“She last messaged me at 3.15pm, asking me if I had prepared food for them,” she said.
The couple also had two other children, Faris’ twin-brother Faris Najdi, and 17-year-old Fitri Naim. Both were buried in a single grave at the Pengkalan Kenangan Muslim cemetery in Kampung Baru Kerteh.
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