Hundreds say farewell to pupil and adventure guide

The pupil and the adventure guide died close to each other in the earthquake on Mount Kinabalu last Friday.

Yesterday, they were buried close to each other at the Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery.

More than 200 people turned up to bid their final farewells to Tanjong Katong Primary School pupil Ameer Ryyan Mohd Adeed Sanjay, 13, and adventure guide Muhammad Daanish Amran, 22.

Before the burial, their bodies were taken to Ba'alwie Mosque at Lewis Road, off Bukit Timah Road, at around 9am for mourners to perform funeral prayers.

Mr Daanish's body arrived at the cemetery at around 10am.

By then, many family members and friends of both the deceased had already turned up near the allocated plot.

The slippery and muddy ground did little to deter them from paying their final respects to the young adventurers.

They dabbed away their tears as the final rites were performed.

Several members of the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM), where Mr Daanish was a volunteer, also attended his funeral.

One of them, police officer Hazli Majuri, 28, told The New Paper that he had known Mr Daanish for about five years.

He said: "He was a cheerful, sporty and friendly guy.

"We last spoke about three months ago, when 4PM wanted us to help organise a camp for ITE students.

"I can't believe my friend is gone."

Another 4PM volunteer, student Mysara Aljaru, 22, said she found out about Mr Daanish's death on Sunday via a WhatsApp chat group.

She added: "I cried when I received the news. He was a selfless, friendly guy.

"I still find it hard to accept that he has died."

Many from Mr Daanish's group stayed to offer Ameer their prayers when the boy was buried a short distance away, about an hour later.

The teen was a talented footballer and attended the F-17 Academy started by football icon Fandi Ahmad.

About 20 people, mainly teenage boys from the academy, turned up in black-and-white T-shirts that read "AR7 Forever in our hearts" on the front and "Ameer Ryyan 7" on the back.

The boy's parents stood by, weeping silently, while their loved ones comforted them.

When it was over, the couple scattered flower petals over their son's grave and quietly left the cemetery.

TALENTED FOOTBALLER

Fandi told TNP over the phone yesterday that the boy was a talented footballer who could play as a winger and a striker.

"He had a lot of potential with very good basics and footwork. He was always smiling and was a very good, sweet, obedient boy," said Fandi.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim, who was at Ba'alwie Mosque earlier, said that he felt sad for the victims' families.

Dr Yaacob, who is also the Minister for Communications and Information, added: "I hope we can work together to ensure that we can give all the necessary support not only to those who have lost but also to those who survived.

"For the kids and the schools, it must be a very difficult time for all of them."

This article was first published on June 9, 2015.
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