“Don’t worry, Papa, let me pay this time—for the last time.” These were the final words Muhammad Aliff Haaiman Syahrizal Fadly spoke during a family feast, just a day before a tragic accident claimed his young life.
Muhammad Aliff Haaiman, 23, was on the brink of a bright future, set to receive his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Honours from UniKL Malaysia France Institute (UniKL MFI).
Instead, his parents, Syahrizal Fadly Abd Rashid, 45, and Syafinah Yusoff, 43, stood in his place at the Universiti Kuala Lumpur’s (UniKL) 21st Convocation Ceremony, accepting his degree posthumously.
The hall fell silent, heavy with grief, as his name was called. What should have been a moment of celebration turned into one of profound sorrow, as his parents, overwhelmed by loss, accepted his scroll.
“He was our light. Aliff always brought joy and laughter into our home. He gave us strength, even when life felt unbearable. And now, we are left with only memories,” Syahrizal Fadly shared, his voice breaking.
A day before the accident, Muhammad Aliff Haaiman treated his family to a special dinner, using his first salary from a part-time job.
“He insisted on paying and said, ‘This might be the last treat.’ I did not think much of it then, but now I know—it was a sign,” his father said.
Muhammad Aliff Haaiman was an exemplary student, excelling in every major examination with straight A’s, and had just secured his first job.
On the night of the accident, he had gone jogging alone in Putrajaya, motivated by a desire to start a healthier lifestyle ahead of his career.
His father received a devastating call from a hospital in Serdang, Selangor. Muhammad Aliff Haaiman had been struck by a vehicle during his jog, leaving him in a coma for 12 days before he succumbed to his injuries.
“We often jogged together, but that night, I could not join him,” Syahrizal Fadly recounted, his voice trembling.
Despite the pain, the family finds comfort in the goodness Muhammad Aliff Haaiman left behind.
“His passing revealed so many kind and selfless things he did in his life, things we did not even know about. We have come to accept what has happened, even though it breaks our hearts,” his father shared.
