THE quiet of the early morning was pierced by grief at the Islamic Cemetery in Kampung Selat, Bota Kanan on Sunday, as five hearses carrying the bodies of a young couple and three siblings arrived at 1.07am, all victims of a fatal road accident in Jerantut, Pahang.
The deceased were identified as Nur Arfiqah Aziz Jaafar, 23, her husband Mohamad Ikmal Ishak, 26, and her three younger siblings—Mohammad Zulkifli, 21; Mohamad Azizul Hakimi, 19; and Nurul Hazwani, 17.
All five were laid to rest in a single grave at 1.45am, in accordance with the family’s wishes. The burial was attended by more than 300 relatives, friends, and members of the local community, who gathered in sombre silence to pay their final respects.
Earlier, the remains had been taken to the Jamek Mosque in Bota Kanan for prayers following the completion of post-mortems at Jerantut Hospital’s Forensic Unit.
A deeply emotional scene unfolded at the mosque as Zaini Noh, mother of the deceased siblings, broke down in tears while gazing one last time upon her children's faces.
The fatal accident occurred at approximately 12.40am along Kilometre 7 of Jalan Jerantut Feri–Maran. The victims, travelling in a Proton Bezza, were pronounced dead at the scene after their vehicle collided with a Toyota Alphard multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
According to reports, the family had been en route from Tambun to celebrate Aidiladha at the home of an uncle in Kampung Paya Gunung—just 500 metres from where the accident took place.
Speaking to reporters, Perak’s Executive Councillor for Education, Higher Learning, Youth and Sports, Khairudin Abu Hanipah, said the state government is currently exploring forms of support for the victims’ family, including psychological counselling.
“The counselling sessions will focus on the youngest surviving sibling to ensure their emotional wellbeing is preserved, particularly so that their schooling is not disrupted,” he said.
He added that the Perak State Education Department has been directed to assist in facilitating an insurance claim of RM5,500 for the late Nurul Hazwani, who was a Form Five student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato' Abdul Rahman Yaacob.
“As for the rest of the family, we may also seek assistance from the Social Welfare Department to provide guidance and support to the parents, so that they are able to come to terms with this tragedy,” he said. - June 8, 2025
