Army officer survives crash that kills 2 friends
SEREMBAN: Army officer Muhammad Adlan Azlee, 23, sobbed as he watched the remains of his friends being carried out of Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital’s (TJH) Forensic Unit here.
Adlan is one of two survivors of a car crash at Km267.2 of the North-South Expressway early yesterday.
The dead, identified as army officers Anwar Shaari, 23 and Amirul Zulkhairi Ismail, 24, were his friends whom he met during army training more than a year ago.
In between sobs, Adlan said: “To witness the death of my best friends, right in front of my eyes… It’s indescribable… No words can describe it.”
In the 2.32am crash, Adlan, Anwar, Amirul and another friend, Zulhilmi Hamid, 23, were travelling from Parit Buntar in Perak to Port Dickson when the driver, Amirul, lost control of the vehicle. Their car hit the guardrail on the left side of the road and fell into a drain.
The impact of the crash flung Anwar, Amirul and Zulhilmi out of the car, killing two of them instantly. Adlan sustained light injuries, while Zulhilmi broke an arm and suffered head injuries.
“We were on a week-long holiday after completing an army course in Port Dickson recently. Since our hometowns are in the north, we decided to carpool to return to our camps,” Adlan said.
“Anwar was based at the Port Dickson camp, while the rest of us were at the Tebrau camp. We met up at my hometown in Parit Buntar before starting our journey about 10pm. I drove the car till Rawang, before Amirul took over as I was tired and sleepy.”
Adlan said he was asleep when the accident happened.
“I woke up feeling pain all over my body and saw my friends in the drain. I got out of the car and found Anwar and Amirul dead. Zulhilmi was badly injured.”
Anwar and Amirul’s remains have been sent to their hometowns in Kuala Kurau, Perak, and Balik Pulau, Penang, for burial.
Anwar’s adoptive mother, Nor Alida Ahmad, 45, said she last saw her son two weeks ago, before he returned to his hometown.
“He asked me (whether he could) keep his stuff at my house in Port Dickson during our last meeting. He said that it would be the last time he would ask me for help.
“Although (I thought his comment) was a bit strange, I ignored it, until I received news of his death today. That was probably a sign that he would leave us forever.”
Seremban district police deputy chief Superintendent Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said the case was being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.