Family saddened by death of teacher in training
KOTA KINABALU - The body of a teacher in training who died due to electrocution in Segamat, Johor arrived at Kota Kinabalu before being buried at the Kampung Brunei cemetery in Membakut here on Tuesday.
The body of Saiful Asyraf Mukhtar Saiful Khair, 21, arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) at 11am.
His family including his father and grandmother were there to receive his body.
His father Saiful Khair Mohd Sampon, 47, said he hoped to see his eldest son become a teacher, but it was not meant to be.
"Our entire family and friends who knew him have felt this loss.
"He was supposed to become a teacher as he was someone who was passionate about education and chose the profession as he cared for children, but fate had other plans," he said while waiting for the arrival of his son's body at KKIA
Khair informed that he had had a casual conversation with his son through WhatsApp before the incident.
"The last time I contacted him was two days before he died and we were chatting as per usual.
"However, the day of the incident (Sunday) I received a call from the from the Kuala Lumpur International Language Teacher's Education Institute (IPG) campus at 11am stating he had been in an accident and after 40 minutes he was declared dead," he said.
The victim's grandmother Samsiah Baharon, 69, said she was upset as she could only be there to receive Asyraf's body to be buried.
"I feel upset because I did not get to see him alive. After hearing the news of him being placed in the emergency unit, the call confirming he was gone came soon after.
"I thought why did this happen, I hoped to get a call from them stating Asyraf was fine and he was healthy. However, as Muslims we can't (question) it and I accept his death," she said.
Samsiah described her grandchild as a good-hearted man and had helped those in need in Tawau through charitable activities.
"He and I were close since his mother died five years ago. When he had a semester break he would return to my house in Tawau.
"He was someone who was cheerful, not fussy and respectful towards those who are older. He was also involved in charitable activities for the blind in Tawau since he was 18-years-old," she said.
Asyraf's body will be buried near his mother.
Earlier the media had reported that Asyraf had died on Sunday due to electrocution while performing post-flood cleaning duties at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pagoh, Segamat.
