SEREMBAN: Army officer Muhammad Adlan Azlee, 23, one of two survivors of a car crash at Km267.2 of the North-South Highway (Plus) this morning, sobbed as he watched the remains of his two friends carried out from the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital’s (TJH) Forensic Unit here.
The dead, identified as army officers Anwar Shaari, 23 and Amirul Zulkhairi Ismail, 24, were his close friends whom he met while undergoing army training together more than a year ago.
“To witness the death of my best friends, right in front of my eyes… it’s indescribable… no words can describe it,” he said in between sobs.
In the 2.32am single-vehicle crash, Mohammad Adlan, Anwar, Amirul Zulkhairi and another friend, Zulhilmi Hamid, 23, were travelling from Parit Buntar to Port Dickson when Amirul, who was behind the wheel, lost control of the vehicle, which hit the rail guard on the left side of the road and fell into a drain.
The impact of the crash flung Anwar, Amirul Zulkhairi and Zulhilmi out of the car, killing two of them instantly.
Muhammad Adlan sustained light injuries, while Zulhilmi broke his arm and suffered head injuries.
“We were on a week-long holiday, after completing our army course in Port Dickson a week before that. Since our hometowns are in the north, we made a plan to carpool to return to our camp. Anwar was based at the Port Dickson army camp and the rest of us are at the Tebrau army camp.
“We met up at my hometown in Parit Buntar before starting our journey at about 10pm. I drove the car right up to Rawang, before Amirul took over as I was tired and sleepy,” he said.
Muhammad Adlan added that he was asleep when the accident struck.
“I woke up feeling pain all over my body and saw my three friends in the drain. I quickly got out of the car and found that Anwar and Amirul were already dead. Zulhilmi was badly injured,” he said.
Anwar and Amirul Zulkhairi’s remains have been sent to their hometowns of Kuala Kurau, Perak and Balik Pulau, Penang, respectively, for burial.
Meanwhile, Anwar’s adoptive mother, Nor Alida Ahmad, 45, said she last saw her stepson two weeks ago, before he returned to his hometown.
“He asked (if he could) keep his stuff at my house in Port Dickson. During our last meeting, he said that it would be the last time he would ask help from me.
“Although (I thought his comment) was a bit strange, I ignored it – until I received news of his passing today. That was probably the sign that he would leave us forever,” she said.
When contacted, Seremban district police deputy chief Superintendent Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.