BERA: On Sept 9 last year, Felda settler Selamat Omar died due to breathing issues.
His hope for answers regarding the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remains an unfulfilled dream.
His son Mohd Khairul Amri, who would have turned 39 this year, was among 239 people on board the still missing Boeing 777 which took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport(KLIA) on March 8, 2014, heading to Beijing, China.
Prior to his sudden passing, Selamat, 69, fondly known as 'Pak Selamat' would attend the annual remembrance event held for the next-of-kin of MH370 passengers and crew members in Kuala Lumpur, and regularly kept in touch with the other families through several WhatsApp groups.
It will now remain as a memory.
Flipping through the newspaper articles on MH370, his wife Rosila Abu Samah, 59, said her late husband was healthy before his death.
Pak Selamat died in his home at Felda Bukit Mendi in Triang here last year.
"My husband's death came as a shock for the family as he was never hospitalised or bedridden. His wish never came true....he wanted to know the fate of MH370 before closing his eyes(death) but it never happened. It is God's plan.
"Until last year, when March 8 approached, reporters would contact my husband for his comments and I would hear him speak at length about the missing plane, Khairul Amri, his prayers for closure and search operations.
"He has been following every update on MH370 closely either on social media, television and the newspapers. My husband has kept all the newspaper articles about the missing flight and news reports on his son....he began collecting (articles) since his days staying at Sama-Sama Hotel in KLIA (when plane went missing) and I remember he used to buy several copies in a day," she told New Straits Times when met at her house here.
Rosila, who now lives with her daughter Nur Kaiyisah Adibah Selamat, 17, described the newspaper articles as her husband's "precious" collection and they plan to laminate, and file the news reports.
"My husband used to bring the news reports out occasionally and quietly flip through the pages. The article has a lot of memories...starting from the day the plane was reported missing, the series of interviews at KLIA, the press conferences and the anniversary events.
"My husband was close with Khairul Amri and thinks about him every day but he seldom spoke about MH370 to Kaiyisah and me. He will always put up a brave front when speaking to others about MH370....I remember he cried when former prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) announced the plane was lost in the Indian Ocean several weeks after it went missing," she said in a low voice.
Rosila also said since the incident in 2014, Selamat had developed a close bond with some of the other family members whose loved ones were on board the missing plane.
"They would communicate via WhatsApp groups and check on each other regularly, and we even attended their family events apart from meeting during the anniversary programme. I remember attending a wedding in Klang two years ago (family of missing victim).
"As the years passed, most of the WhatsApp groups were no longer active so he used to keep in touch with a few of them whom he likened as part of the family. I remember my husband telling me that some of the group members were no longer around due to illnesses and other reasons.
"My husband did mention that his special bond with some of the next-of-kin began unexpectedly when they gathered at the Sama-Sama Hotel. They waited together till midnight and rushed around KLIA for updates. Today marks 10 years since the plane went missing and the wait continues," she said.
Rosila, who appeared unsure if she will attend the MH370 anniversary events in the future, hoped the government will walk the talk to restart the search for MH370 following the proposal by Ocean Infinity.
"Questions on MH370 remain unanswered but after 10 years the families are still seeking the truth on what actually happened to the plane and those onboard. I hope my husband's prayers ( for closure) will be answered soon," she said.
Meanwhile, Nur Kaiyisah, who recently completed her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination said she was only seven years old when the plane went missing.
"My father was always looking forward to genuine updates on finding MH370 but it never happened. Although we might have returned to our usual lives, I believe the families will never give up in seeking answers," she said, adding that her mother has no plans to move elsewhere and will remain at the Felda scheme here.
Described as a friendly and approachable person by the media, Pak Selamat had always hoped that Khairul Amri would one day return home.
During the 10th Remembrance Event for MH370 on March 3, Transport Minister Anthony Loke
said the government is prepared to restart the search for MH370.