IPOH: Iqbal Hasnun Halimi, one of five top students in a university who was killed in a midnight accident at the KM245 mark of the North-South Expressway (northbound), had planned to stay put in Kuala Kangsar after graduating. He never made it back to the university town located about 45km from here.His father, Halimi Ali Yahad, 50, from Senai, Johor, said his eldest son had mentioned his decision to a relative a few days before he was to return to Kuala Kangsar to continue his studies.
“He told his uncle it would be his last trip back to Kuala Kangsar as he wanted to stay on there,” Halimi, an ustaz, told reporters when met at the Kuala Kangsar Hospital forensics unit yesterday.
Iqbal Hasnun, 23, and four of his friends perished after the car they were in burst into flames during the accident early yesterday with two 20-tonne trailers.
He had travelled for a trip to Ipoh with Muhammad Nasrun Aidol Munir Akbar, 22, from Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor; Ahmad Naim Najmi Ahmad Hafizan, 21, from Chukai, Terengganu; Ahmad Akmal Ahmad Mokhlis, 20, from Parit Buntar, Perak; and Muhammad Nabil Haikal Muhammad Fariz, 19, from Batu Caves, Selangor.
One of the two trailers had crashed into the back of their car, which then caused it to slam into another trailer in front.
The victims, all students of Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (Usas), were trapped in the wreckage and could not escape as the fire engulfed the vehicle.
Halimi Ali remembered his son as a kind big brother to his three siblings and had always urged them to stay healthy.
“When he was younger, he was often hospitalised for pneumonia.
“He would always tell his siblings to look after their own health and not get hospitalised as frequently as he did,” he said.
Halimi Ali said he had last seen Iqbal Hasnun on Sunday when he drove his son back to Kuala Kangsar after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration in their hometown.
“When we got a call about the incident at 3am, my wife and I did not believe it. We then checked on Facebook and found pictures of the accident.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident but we have accepted it,” he said.
Muhammad Nabil Haikal’s mother, Siti Norazah Bahari, 42, said she had thought her son was only involved in a minor accident.
“We got a call from his friend at 4am and thought he only suffered minor injuries.
“But the way he (the son’s friend) told us about the incident made me uncomfortable and anxious.
“So I asked my husband to make a call to get confirmation of the accident and it was only then we got to know that our son was no more,” said Siti Norazah, who last saw her son on Sunday when she sent him off at the train station to return to Kuala Kangsar.
She recalled that on the evening before the tragedy, Muhammad Nabil Haikal had also sent her a text on WhatsApp about their pet cat.
“Subsequent messages to him then went unanswered,” she said, adding that her son also did not inform her about his trip to Ipoh.
“He liked to make friends and his relationship with his brothers was good,” she added.
Siti Norazah said her son took a course in business as he wanted to become an entrepreneur like her.
“His passing is so unexpected ... and so hard to take,” she added.
Usas vice-chancellor Tan Sri Nordin Kardi said all five deceased were among the university’s best students.
Nordin said they had just reported to the varsity to start their classes after the Hari Raya holidays.
“The university will assist the victims’ families by providing accommodation and other necessities until the victims’ affairs have been completed,” he said.
Both Iqbal Hasnun and Muhamad Nasrun were pursuing a Bachelor of Islamic Studies; Ahmad Naim Najmi (Bachelor of Counselling (Hons)); Muhammad Nabil Haikal (Diploma in Business Administration); and Ahmad Akmal (Diploma in Islamic Counselling).
Meanwhile, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad donated RM1,000 to the victims’ families.
His political secretary Datuk Sham Mat Sahat said the personal contribution, along with other forms of assistance, was a show of sympathy for the families.