KUALA TERENGGANU – What was meant to be a meaningful visit to honour the late Nurly Sahirah Azman, a university student who tragically died in a bus crash in Gerik last month, ended in heartbreak when a newlywed man lost his life in a road accident on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Kilometre 79 of the Kuala Terengganu–Kota Bharu Road in Setiu.
The victim, Wan Hasbullah Wan Abdul Halim, 42, had been on his way to Besut to meet a group of motorcyclists from Kedah.
Together, they had planned to organise a condolence visit to the family of Nurly Sahirah, a student from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI).
“My brother had agreed to meet the group in Besut. The main purpose was to discuss plans for visiting the late Nurly’s family.
“None of us expected he would be the one to go first,” said his younger brother, Wan Zainul Abidin Wan Abdul Halim, 33.
Speaking at the Sheikh Ibrahim Muslim Cemetery on Wednesday night, Wan Zainul revealed that the late Wan Hasbullah had only recently married on Awal Muharram and had planned to hold a thanksgiving reception in September.
“He had talked about having a proper wedding celebration, something simple with both families coming together.
"Now, all of that is just a memory,” he added.
The deceased leaves behind his wife, Wan Nazirah Wan Pauzi, 37, and three sons from a previous marriage, aged between 9 and 13.
His sons are currently attending Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School (SMK Sultan Sulaiman) and Sultan Sulaiman 1 Primary School (SKSS1).
Wan Hasbullah was well known in his community. He served as the Jalan Tekukur Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chairman and was a hafiz, having memorised all 30 chapters of the Quran.
He was active in charity work, including helping to repair religious schools in Thailand and participating in circumcision and animal sacrifice programmes.
His funeral prayer was held at Masjid Khalifah on Wednesday night and was attended by over 2,000 mourners. He was laid to rest at around 10pm.
It was reported that the victim died after the high-powered Kawasaki Z1000 motorcycle he was riding collided with a car making a right turn at approximately 10.40am on Wednesday.