Lake Tekapo Tragedy: Memories Of Son Lives On In Mother's Heart

TELUK INTAN, March 31 (Bernama) -- "My late son gave me a set of prayer clothes and a cake for my recent birthday, that's the last memory," said the mother of Megat Ashman Aqif Megat Irman Jefni.

Megat Ashman Aqif, 21, is one of the two Malaysian students studying at the University of Canterbury who tragically died in a road accident at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, yesterday.

His mother Noor Aishah Abdul Latif, when approached by reporters at her home in Kampung Melayu, Langkap, today, said that she had just celebrated her birthday on March 12, while Megat Ashman Aqif also celebrated his birthday on March 8.

"Aqif (as he is fondly known) surprised me by sending a cake (through the Lalamove delivery service) for my birthday.

"I told him there was no need to buy me gifts. He should save money but he said it's okay, mum. Aqif wanted the blessings of my prayers for him", she shared.

Noor Aishah said that Aqif worked part-time in Christchurch during the semester break, and he used to send her money even though she didn't want to take it because he needed it more.

Noor Aishah said the last time she spoke with him was about an hour on Tuesday (March 26) via a video call on the WhatsApp application and that Aqif asked for her prayers as he was facing exams and the rest of the conversation was usual, discussing daily life.

"There wasn't really any change in him, we usually have a video call every week. He also recently sent messages on WhatsApp to his older brother, which is unusual because he rarely messaged his brother," she said.

Noor Aishah said the last time she met her son was in July last year at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when she sent him off to continue his studies in commerce in New Zealand.

"He said he wanted to return for the Aidilfitri celebration but I told him there was no need to (come back to Malaysia) since he had just gone there," she said.

Noor Aishah said she learned about the tragedy from Aqif's father, who called her around 11 am yesterday.

"Aqif was a good son, Allah lent him to me for 21 years. He passed away during the holy month of Ramadan while he was fasting," she said, unable to contain her emotions over the loss of her second child out of five siblings.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, issued a statement informing that two Malaysian students died in the road accident at 1.45 pm local time.

According to the statement, the accident involved five Malaysian students, and the injured victims were flown to Christchurch Hospital, South Island.

A spokesperson for the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed that the deceased students were Megat Ashman Aqif Megat Irman Jefni and Wan Nur Adlina Alisa, both students of the University of Canterbury.

The injured victims are Nur Firas Wafiyyah and Lya Issable Walton, also students from the same university, while the other, Muhamad Faris Mohd Fairusham, is a student of Victoria University of Wellington.

-- BERNAMA