NIBONG TEBAL: The father of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) striker, Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad, had yet to see his 22-day-old grandson, who was killed in a crash at the North South Expressway (NSE) here, this morning.
According to Ahmad Ibrahim, 56, the family was planning a trip to Johor to visit Syafiq, who had his second child on Nov 14, after the end of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
Ahmad said they were supposed to leave on Dec 11, but had to put their trip on hold after his area, Bayan Baru, was placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).
"Our whole family was excited to visit our first grandson, Muhammad Aisy Saqeef, and Syafiq's siblings had applied for leave from work to visit him in Johor.
"We are all devastated over the incident and the fact that we could not see the baby," he said when met at the Sungai Bakap Hospital Forensic Unit this morning.
When Ahmad received the call that his son was involved in an accident, he could not believe it at first. He thought the caller had contacted the wrong person and explained that all his children were at home.
"At that time, I did not think that it was my Syafiq, as I did not know he was on his way to his in-law's house in Pendang, Kedah.
"He may have informed his mother that he wanted to return to Kedah, as he always shares things with her," he added.
According to Ahmad, after he was convinced it was Syafiq, he rushed to the scene but by then, everyone had been sent to hospital.
He said according to his conversation with Syafiq, his son was the one behind the wheel of the Toyota Vellfire.
"He said he was trying to avoid something before he lost control, causing the vehicle to skid and ram into the road divider.
"He is still in trauma," he added
Ahmad said that Syafiq, his wife Nur Amalina Nur Ain, 25, and the couple's eldest child, Aaira Nur Saffiyya, 2, are in stable condition.