Mother mourns son who wanted to change family's fate through welding career

New Straits Times

06-06-2025

SIK: Muhammad Fahmi Jamel, one of three National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) students who died in an accident at Km49.4 of the North-South Expressway yesterday, had aspired to become an underwater welder.
The victim's mother, Siti Fatimah Mat Rejab, 45, said Fahmi wanted to pursue a high-income job like underwater welding to change the family's fortunes.
"He wanted to work on a ship—to become a professional welder—and to follow in the footsteps of Shahbudin Md Nor, the elder brother of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi, who is a diving superintendent.
"I knew he wanted to change our family's fate. He used to say that working on a ship would earn him a good salary, so he could help his mother and make the family proud.
"He wanted to be like Sanusi's brother. Shahbudin once stopped by my food stall when returning from his farm. I know my son admired him greatly," she said, her voice trembling with emotion when met at her home in Kampung Berona Kanan, Jeniang, today.
Fahmi is survived by his mother and 15-year-old sister, Nurul Alisya Azwa Abdul Hamid, who has been visibly shaken since receiving the news.
Fatimah said what should have been a joyful Aidiladha celebration tomorrow had now turned into the most heartbreaking day of her life.
She said that although her son was busy with his studies, he never failed to keep in touch daily. But on the day of the incident, there was no message from him.
"He would text me on WhatsApp every day. But yesterday, it was completely silent. I had a bad feeling.
"I was then informed that my son had been in an accident. Only upon arriving at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star did I learn that he had died at the scene," she said, her voice breaking.
She recalled their final conversation on Wednesday.
"He said, 'If you have the money, Mum, please give me RM450 to buy a new phone.' I didn't get the chance to give it to him. Now, he's gone," she said tearfully.
Fahmi died along with two of his friends—Muhammad Arif Aifan Derani and Muhammad Habil Mohd Sobri—all aged 19. Another friend, Muhammad Adib Aiman Mohd Hasani, also 19, was seriously injured.
All four were second-semester welding students at the IKBN Jitra branch.
crashed into a stationary Naza Citra MPV on the expressway.