‘The life you have left is a gift. Cherish it. Enjoy it now, to the fullest. Do what matters, now.’
― writer and Zen blogger.Leo Babauta,
Many Malaysians were shocked by the plane crash on the Guthrie Highway near Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam on Thursday.
The crash involving the Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier1) aircraft claimed the lives of eight people in it as well as two road users — a motorcyclist and a motorist — who happened to be passing by at the time of the accident.
When a plane goes down suddenly, it is not surprising if all its passengers die. That is one of the risks of air travel.
If a plane goes down and all its passengers somehow manage to survive and escape unhurt a miracle is deemed to have happened.
But alas, all the passengers of the ill-fated aircraft did not survive. But what was even shocking, the crash also took the lives of a motorcyclist and a motorist who happened to be passing by at that crucial moment.
“How can it be?“ some of you may have asked yourselves.
For me, the tragedy has an important message for all human beings — none of us can escape death. We will all go and leave this world when it is time for us to do so.
The tragedy also reminds me of the frightening Final Destination movies that I have watched in the past. The movies show how everything will happen as they have been decided by God according to each person’s destiny.
Therefore, since death is the destined end of everything living, each and everyone of us must enjoy life and welcome whatever it offers us.
“That is why I am so scared to fly,” said a friend when she learnt about the crash in the news. “But if you don’t fly, what are you going to use?, ” I asked her.
“Never mind, my friend. What will be will be. Just make peace with God. Life is short for everyone. Just do good and be nice to other people,” I told her.
According to Bernama, a preliminary report on the probe into the plane crash will be prepared within 30 days from the date of the incident.
The motorcyclist who died in the tragedy has been identified as p-hailing rider Muhamad Hafiz Muhamad Saleh,32. His body, the only one found intact in the crash, was handed over to his family yesterday morning.
Until yesterday, the ages and professions of most of those who perished in the crash had not been released to the public yet. But I understand all of them were men.
Pahang’s Pelangi assemblyman Datuk Seri Johari Harun was on the flight. Also in the plane were two pilots Shahrul Kamal Roslan and Heikal Aras Abdul Azim and five other passengers, namely, Kharil Azwan Jamaludin, Shaharul Amir Omar, Mohamad Naim Fawwaz Mohamed Muaidi, Muhammad Taufiq Mohd Zaki and Idris Abdol Talib @ Ramali. The identity of the car driver has not been identified yet.
Autopsies on the victims were completed on Friday night and awaiting the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test results yesterday.
Meanwhile, the cockpit voice recorder of the aircraft had been sent to the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The aircraft was flying from Langkawi to Subang. What were the passengers doing in Langkawi? Were they tourists?
When family members die so suddenly and tragically, it is naturally for next-of-kins to be shocked and to feel that their world has come to an end.
Only those of us who have lost loved ones through tragedies or sicknesses will know and understand the pain and sufferings of these relatives.
Sudden and unexpected deaths are hard to accept. Yet, how many times have we been told by our respective religions that this world is only temporary? That we may be here today and gone tomorrow. That we walk but once on this earth and that there’s no return.
Tragedies like Thursday’s plane crash also remind us how fragile human lives are.
Don’t ever think that only old people will die. When their time on earth is up, young people will also die.
Hence, we must all value our lives and the lives of those around us. Let us be helpful, kind and considerate to others.
If you are one of those reckless bikers or motorists that I often see on the road, please slow down. There is no need to rush to your destination.
In conclusion, I pray the souls of all those departed in Thursday’s plane crash will rest in peace and that their family members will also find peace and accept their deaths as destined and inevitable.
