TELUK INTAN: JUST before flying to Amsterdam, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 first officer Muhd Firdaus Abdul Rahim was told by his wife that she was expecting their first child.
The 27-year-old had tied the knot with Nurzarith Zaaba, also 27, 15 months before the flight and the couple had been trying to start a family. Firdaus was elated to hear the good news, according to Firdaus’ elder sister, Roziana Nor.
“He was so excited. He even promised his wife that he would take her to a medical check-up as soon as he returned from Amsterdam.
“He never got to fulfil the promise,” she told the New Straits Times after her brother was buried at the Hilir Perak district Muslim cemetery in Jalan Sultan Abdullah here yesterday.
Firdaus’ remains, along with eight other MH17 victims, arrived in Malaysia yesterday morning.
His remains were flown aboard a Royal Malaysian Air Force EC-725 helicopter here, where he was buried next to his father.
Present to pay their last respects were Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Firdaus’ family arrived in Padang Speedy, where the helicopter landed, at 9am. They were consoling each other. Several pilot friends also came to pay their last respects.
Firdaus’ cousin, Muhamad Mizan Mohamed Mahidin, 32, said Fridaus’ death was deeply felt because their family had a history of piloting.
“We come from a family of six pilots. I was the second while Firdaus was the fourth.
“We were influenced by our uncle, Captain Abdul Wahab Ibrahim, 60,” he said, adding that their uncle retired last year.
“What happened to MH17 was something beyond our control. It can happen to anybody and there is nothing much we can do. As pilots, we accept Firdaus’ death more easily compared with other family members.
“But they are slowly coming to terms with it, especially my cousin’s wife, mother and siblings.”
Wahab, who became a pilot in 1974, said he was like a father figure to Firdaus since he lost his father when he was 12.
In Shah Alam, the remains of Captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin were buried at the Section 21 Muslim cemetery, exactly 50 years after he was born.
Family members, friends and colleagues gathered at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque for funeral prayers before heading for the cemetery.
His widow, Mariam Yusof, was relieved that her husband’s body was finally buried.
“It was raining in the morning, but the moment his body was carried into the hearse, the rain stopped. Isn’t it Allah’s blessing?”
The mother of two wept as her husband’s coffin was being covered with dirt, while her sons, Wan Yunus Uzair, 11, and Wan Yusuf Irfan, 9, gazed sadly into the distance as prayers were recited after the burial was completed.
Among the 300 mourners were 40 of Wan Amran’s former Kulim Mara Junior Science College mates.
One of them, Aimi Masdiana Mukhtar, 50, said the timing of Wan Amran’s burial was “beautifully planned by Allah”.
Captain Nazri Ishak, who was Wan Amran’s colleague, said it was sad, yet significant, that he was laid to rest on his birthday.
He said the cabin crew would organise a small celebration on the flight if one of them happened to be flying on his or her birthday.
“That is one thing that makes MAS so special. The cabin crew and technical crew are very close to each other as we are all Malaysians.”
Nazri said he was heavy hearted looking at Wan Amran’s children and became teary eyed as he spoke about them.
“I hope his family will find the strength and patience to get through this.”
About 50 pilots attended the funeral in their uniforms. Present were Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, executive councillors Dr Halimah Ali, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, Iskandar Samad, state secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi, Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Noh Omar and Shah Alam Mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan. Additional reporting by Firdaous Fadzil