The saddest day of my life was 4 April 1978. My late father, Haji Abdul Hamid Abdullah succumbed to his death due to intra cranial hemorrhage. He was knocked down by a motorcyclist while he was crossing the street in front of Yusufia Restaurant in the middle of Teluk Intan town. He was 72.
On the fateful morning my father accompanied the Estate Manager to collect the workers monthly wages from the Bank. My late father was assigned as Owner’s Representative to the Estate. After handing over the denominations slip to the Bank, my father, the Manager and the Driver decided to have their breakfast at the Restaurant across the Bank. After breakfast my father decided to visit the washroom instead while the Manager and the driver proceeded to cross the street. As my father was crossing the street by himself, a bloody stupid motorcyclist riding just a Honda cub, must be speeding, knocked my father by the right leg. The impact threw off my father and his head knocked the street divider. His right leg was broken but the biggest damage was the impact of his head at the concrete divider. He was rushed immediately to Teluk Intan District Hospital by the Estate Land Rover. Due to profuse bleeding, the Doctor in attendance Doctor Loh Yan could not save my fathers life. My late father drew his last breath sometimes at 1400 hours of the same day.
I got the message at about 5 in the evening, after office when my neighbor who had a house phone summoned me to his house to call my aunty in Ipoh who had an urgent message for me. When I spoke to my aunty she summoned me to go home soonest possible to my ancestral home in Bota. I knew something was not right and she broke the bad news. I was stunned and speechless for a moment. Incidentally, my younger brother and sister had just arrived from Ipoh at my house for a visit. I had to keep a secret not to alarm them but I quietly told my wife about the mishap. We quickly packed my two small kids, the family and I requested my brother in law to accompany me as a second Driver. My faithful Volvo 144 took us down the old highway and with Allah grace the journey was trouble free.
I finally arrived at my ancestral home at 3 in the morning and I saw several cars had already arrived and the house was brightly lit. My siblings were asking me what’s going on. I slowly informed them that late father had passed away and I warned them to remain calm and to accept the fate that Allah had bestowed upon us. We were the last children to arrive. I step up into the house and with tears rolling my cheek I stared at my father’s motionless body lying in state. All my brothers, sisters, in laws and close relatives were already there.
The next morning at 10 we performed the last bath and we put his body on our lap. The last prayer was conducted by my uncle, the Mufti of Perak. We solemnly buried and laid our father at Padang Tenggala Burial ground.
The last time I met my father in person was when I gave him a lift after my sister engagement ceremony. I was on my way back to Port Klang and he wanted to meet my uncle in Sungkai. I remember we had lunch together at my uncle’s place. I was deeply touched during his last breath he was wearing the Omega wrist watch which I bought for him in Singapore. I always remember the day I took him to Cameron Highland. We had lunch at the Government Rest House at Tanah Rata and later for tea at Merlin Hotel just opposite the golf course. In one or two occasions he had visited me in Port Dickson and he had good time at the beaches.
Due to the unforeseen accident, I bar myself and my children from riding a motorcycle less owning one. I hate motorcyclists and I despise Mat Rempit. If they cross my way, I would not hesitate to knock them down. They are menace to society and they belong to the category of people who are brainless.
Thirty over years had passed but the sad memory still linger. Without fail, at every Hari Raya or any other day convenient to me I would pay a visit to my father’s grave. He left me no riches but he gave me education so that I can seek richness.
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