He was my 'orang kuat', stepfather says of student killed in crash

New Straits Times

07-06-2025

KUALA MUDA: Abdul Hamid Hassan broke down in tears on the morning of Hari Raya Aidiladha today, at the memory of his late stepson, Muhammad Fahmi Jamel, 19.
The 54-year-old odd-job worker said this year's celebration felt empty without Fahmi, who had shown much promise as a welding student at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) Jitra branch.
"He was a good kid. Whatever I said, he never fought back and I would never lay a hand on him.
"He was my hope, he was my 'orang kuat'," he said, voice breaking, at their home in Jeniang.
Fahmi was one of three 19-year-old IKBN Jitra students killed on Thursday in a road accident while riding home on two motorcycles to celebrate Aidiladha.
The other victims were Muhamad Habil Mohd Sobri from Gurun and Muhamad Arif Aifan Derani from Bukit Selambau, Sungai Petani.
Another student, Muhammad Adib Aiman Mohamad Hasan, also 19, who was riding pillion, is receiving treatment at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
Fahmi's mother, Siti Fatimah Mat Rejab, 45, said her son had been looking forward to wearing a new matching set of shirt and trousers, he had ordered days earlier.
"It's difficult to accept, but I've come to terms with it. Alhamdulillah, he passed away peacefully, on a blessed day.
"He was excited to come home. The clothes arrived on Tuesday… he would have worn them today," she said, holding back tears.
She said Fahmi, who was well-loved by his peers, had planned to spend Hari Raya Aidiladha with his hometown friends.
"He had many friends, he planned to celebrate Raya with them, he made a lot of memories with them.
"Whenever he's back at home, you could always hear him playing the guitar and singing in his room. We still can't bring ourselves to enter that room," she added.
Fahmi was buried at 1am yesterday at a cemetery near their grandfather's home in Kampung Berona Kanan in Sik, next to his grandfather, Mat Rejab Awang Kecil.
A similar sombre atmosphere lingered at the home of Habil in Kampung Lubuk Reba, Padang Lembu, Gurun.
His parents, Mohd Sobri Kamis, 47, and Sarah Abdul Rasid, 41, are still reeling from the loss.
"I told myself I have to accept this as fate, that my son is gone and this is Allah's will. But this is painful as it came as a major shock to us because he was healthy this whole time," said Sarah, a Quran and Fardhu Ain (Kafa) teacher.
The family had planned a surprise balik kampung trip to Bagan Serai, Perak, for the holiday, which was cancelled following the tragedy.
"We didn't tell him because we knew he'd be overjoyed. We had everything ready and were just waiting for him to come home," said Sobri, who was holding a blue shirt meant for Habil — the family's Aidiladha theme colour.
In tears, Sobri said Habil had dreamed of working as a welder on offshore platforms and was seen as the family's hope for the future.
"We buried him in a nearby cemetery, and Alhamdulillah, it went smoothly. Everything was completed by around 1am," he said.