KUANTAN: The school trip organised by SK Jeram in Masjid Tanah, Melaka to Terengganu yesterday was supposed to be a memorable outing for the school's operation assistant Hamzah Ahmad's prior to his retirement next month.
The journey however turned tragic for the 60-year-old father-of-two when the tour bus he was travelling with his colleagues was involved in an accident with a trailer at Km126 of Jalan Kuantan-Segamat near Muadzam Shah here at 12.40am today.
Hamzah died several hours later while receiving treatment at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) here while the ill-fated incident also claimed the lives of teacher Hasnatul Adilah Hassan, 48, and the tour bus' second driver Hadi Asyraf Mad Idris, 29.
Hamzah's eldest daughter Siti Zulaikha Hamzah, 25, said her father, who was supposed to retire on July 7, hardly joined any of the school trips and seldom went for any outings with his colleagues.
"My father is not someone who likes to travel to places far from the house. He only agreed to join after much persuasion from my mother and me...we told him the trip will be something to remember with his colleagues before his retirement.
"I last met him at our house yesterday evening...he told us (the family) that he will leave his car at the school premises before joining the trip and will return on Monday.....sadly this happened.
"My father has been working at the school for more than 20 years and was looking forward for his retirement next month. He wanted to start rearing chickens and spend more time at the mosque," she told reporters when met at the HTAA's forensic department here today.
Meanwhile, Siti Zulaikha, who works as a factory operator, said she was at her work place when her mother Shamsiah Khamis, 55, contacted her early today to inform that the bus her father was travelling in had been involved in an accident.
"I tried contacting my father's handphone but it could not be reached so I called his school clerk who had joined the trip. The clerk told me that my father was fine and they were treated at Muadzam Shah Hospital....I was relieved.
"Sometime later, someone called informing that my father was warded at HTAA's red zone and had suffered multiple fractures. I rushed home before joining my mother and relatives to travel to Kuantan at about 9am.
"During my journey to Kuantan, my aunt who was travelling in a separate car informed about my father's death after she was informed by the hospital. I told my mother, who appeared a little unhealthy to return to Melaka while I joined my uncle and aunt at HTAA," she said.
Meanwhile, her aunt Sharifah Khamis, 58, said Hamzah's house was not far from hers at Kampung Londang in Masjid Tanah, Melaka and she had received messages about the incident through WhatsApp after Subuh prayers today.
"My sister (Shamsiah) had mentioned about Hamzah's trip to Terengganu but I was unsure if he was part of it. Shamsiah later confirmed that Hamzah had joined the trip but was unsure about his condition until the hospital contacted the family to provide updates," she said fighting back tears.
Sharifah said Hamzah's remains will be taken back for burial at the Kampung Londang Muslim burial ground.
In the 12.40am accident, the bus ferrying 39 people consisting of several teachers from SK Jeram who were travelling to Terengganu had crashed into a trailer at the Bahau junction before it flipped over on its side on a slope.
The teachers along with their children were supposed to attend a programme in Terengganu.