Falling tree tragedy: Son never thought video call with father would be final conversation

KUALA LUMPUR - "I never thought the video call with my father on Dec 5 would be our last conversation," said the son of the late Radin Abd Kharim Radin Mamfudz, 64, who was one of the two victims killed by a falling tree on Jalan Bukit Belacan Kampung Lembah Jaya Utara, Ampang, here, yesterday.

Radin Muhd Nur Amri, 33, who is the second son of nine siblings, said during the video call, his father also managed to chat with his grandchildren.

"I had a video call with my father and the last time I met him was over a month ago.

"I work as a teacher and I didn't have time to go back as I had extra classes to take, so I planned to meet my father during the school holidays," he told Bernama when met near the Ampang Hospital’s Forensic Department here last night.

Radin Muhd Nur Amri said he was saddened by his father's death he had not been able to meet him for a long time.

Radin Abd Kharim's wife, Masitah Ahmad, 61, said the former was on his way to meet his friends near the Lembah Jaya area after sending one of their children for dialysis treatment at the Ampang Hospital.

"It was indeed a routine of his to meet friends in the area every time he took our son for dialysis treatment," she said, adding that her husband's remains would be buried at the Kampung Jawa Muslim Cemetery in Batu 18, Hulu Langat tomorrow morning.

A falling tree hit a car and a motorcycle at 3.51 pm today, killing car driver Radin Abd Kharim on the spot while the motorcyclist, Muhammad Hisyammuddin Ahmad Syakif, 23, died at the Ampang Hospital.

Meanwhile, Hisyammuddin’s father Ahmad Shakif Mohd, 53, said his son's death was a great loss to the family.

"My son was a cheerful, kind soul and a child who helped in every way and never troubled anyone," he said.

Lembah Jaya assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman, better known as Altimet, who was also present to console the family members of the victims, said his office would work with the Selangor state government to expedite the death aid under the state’s General Insurance Scheme (Insan). - BERNAMA