‘Why did that car hit teacher?’: Child mourns beloved kindergarten teacher

KUALA TERENGGANU – “Why did that car hit teacher?”

That is the question repeatedly asked by a seven-year-old girl after learning that her beloved teacher was killed in an accident at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) traffic light intersection here on Monday.

The girl’s mother, Mira Rozaliya Mohamad Rozaini, 34, said her daughter, Hana Melissa Ahmad Hariz, was very close to the late Syakirah Hanan Mazli, even though she was not Hana’s class teacher at Tadika Zahir Annur in Batu Buruk here.

She said Hana, who will be entering Year One in the upcoming school session, often mentioned the teacher’s name as they frequently interacted during various daily activities at the kindergarten.

“The teacher was among the earliest to arrive at the kindergarten. In the mornings, she was usually the one who greeted Hana as she got out of the car. She was very kind, always smiling, spoke gently and was very polite.

“I still feel like it’s a dream when I found out she was involved in an accident,” she said when contacted on Tuesday.

Mira said she was at work when the incident occurred and initially only knew that an accident had taken place, without realising that her daughter’s teacher was involved.

“When photos of the late teacher started circulating, that’s when I realised. I immediately contacted the kindergarten principal to confirm and it turned out it was indeed Teacher Syakirah,” she said.

Mira said Hana learned about the accident from her cousin, who shared the information in the family group chat.

She said that when Hana’s father returned home, the child immediately asked whether it was true that her beloved teacher had been hit by a car and was injured.

“When she was told that her teacher had passed away and was at the hospital, she immediately cried and hugged her father. She said she loved her teacher and wanted to see her.

“We only drove past the mosque area because there were too many people. Hana watched the live broadcast of the burial until it ended,” she said.

Mira added that her daughter has continued to ask why the accident happened, often repeating the question, including before going to sleep.

“Even though she is still young, the loss is deeply felt. Her questions are also very heartbreaking for us as parents,” she said.

In Monday’s incident, Syakirah Hanan, 25, was killed after the Perodua Viva she was driving was hit by a Honda Jazz at the JPJ traffic light intersection in Kuala Terengganu.

The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.