Life goes by in the blink of an eye ...

Andy Lo. He was 20 years old. He had just completed his diploma programme from a private college in Medical Assistant. A charming, obliging, tall and gangly young man. He was of Chinese (father) and Indian (mother) parentage. He was one of my favourite ex-students due to his easy going personality. He was an average student, hard-working and diligent. Even his death made the news in the 8:00pm news and the newspapers. Such was the impact of this young man on all his ex-teachers and friends. He was an active St. John Ambulance member during his school days and after that, he became a registered voluntary member of Kedah St. John Ambulance.

His death was a shock to all of us when we heard of it. I was watching the news the night before (Friday, 21st June) and I heard about this St. John volunteer who died in an accident in Alor Setar. I was not really paying attention to the news - just another accident news - thus, I missed out on the name. Hence, when we were gathered for assembly on Sunday, Khoo told me about Andy. He was also in the newspapers. It was so tragic. I could not imagine his parents. He had a brother who is studying in Form Four in the same school. There was only two of them. All of us - both teachers and students - took turns to pay our respects to him. How did the accident occur? Witnesses (other St. John Ambulance members who was there with him) said he lost control of his motorbike and fell onto the road and a bus which happened to pass by, ran over him.

The next day, Saturday (22nd June) I was at my tafaqquh ad-din class with Herlina. Halfway through the second period (Sirah Rasulullah) she told me that she was leaving the class after the lecture ended. When I asked why she told me her neighbour's daughter died in an accident in Jordan. That night, the news was also in the 8:00pm main news bulletin. That girl was one of the top students in a premier school here and was studying in London. She went for a holiday to Jordan with some college friends. They met with an accident and she was one of the victims. I may not know her but getting news of children dying a sudden death in an accident troubles me. My sons are always somewhere and or course, going off somewhere in the course of their studies or leisure. I honestly do not know how I would react upon receiving such news. Whenever I heard this type of news, I could only feel for the parents and pray for them strength and patience to face this major trial in their lives.

Sunday (23rd June) we heard that our student met with an accident in front of the school that early morning. Some said she died and others brought news that she was unconscious. Today we got the correct information. She was a Form 3 Malay girl. She was riding her motorbike at a high speed and turn into the main junction without checking out whether the road was clear. Of course, these students do not wear the helmet. She crashed into another another bike with a pillion rider who was also going very fast. The impact of the crash was such that all three fell onto the road with major injuries. The Form 3 student was unconscious. The pillion rider, another girl, also a student, was seriously injured with the bones sticking out of her hand. The male biker, her friend, injured his head seriously. All three were taken to the hospital when the ambulance arrived. As of dismissal today, we heard that the hospital asked the Form 3 student be taken home as nothing much could be done for her as her injuries were very serious. The other two were in critical condition.

We could only pray for the students and their families. We wished these students would take care when they were riding their motorbikes and time and again, the police had reminded them to wear the helmet. Still they ignored it. Being in a sub-urban area of padi fields and narrow roads among the padi fields, motorbikes are the main form of transport. Majority of them were without license. It was a way of life for them and the police, although they showed their leniency due to these students circumstances, would only turn a blind eye.

Whom should we blame? The family? The school authorities? The police for their leniency? The society for accepting this way of rule-relaxing culture? Students as young as Form 1 and 2 are already riding the motorbikes. This is not the first time fatal accidents have taken place in front of the school. Well, we can only keep reminding them to be careful. As I always tell my boys when they are driving - the road is not a friendly place. Driving is not a game. Patience is cultivated. Tolerance is instilled. Traffic rules should be adhered to. One can never be too careful. Always start with Bismillah and recite the du'a for safekeeping. It is always a case of letting go yet afraid to relax the strings. May Allah bless us all in his safekeeping. InsyAllah.