'I couldn't believe this was real': Sister of man who died in PIE accident

SINGAPORE - Republic Polytechnic part-time student Muhammad Musharraf who celebrated his birthday just two weeks ago died when his motorcycle collided with a lorry last Sunday (Jan 12).

Mr Musharraf, 25, who also worked as a personal trainer, was heading to Johor Baru to get necessities for his family when the accident happened.

He was flung sideways off his motorbike in lane one and landed in lane four while riding on the Pan Island Expressway after the Upper Jurong Road exit on Sunday at around 10pm. He was taken conscious to the National University Hospital (NUH).

The 26-year-old male lorry driver was arrested for drink-driving and dangerous driving causing death, the police said.

Around 11.35pm that night, doctors told the family to go to NUH immediately as Mr Musharraf was in a critical condition, his sister Salimah Razak told The Straits Times.

Ms Salimah, 21, and her mother reached the accident and emergency department at 12.05am while her 29-year-old brother, who was living elsewhere with his wife, arrived shortly after.

"Soon after, the doctor broke the news to me in a room, he said that my brother had passed on at 12.02am," Ms Salimah told ST.

"I was in a state of shock. I had to see the body, to confirm that it was really him. My mum was crying and begging us to tell her what was going on."

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/salimah.rk.54/posts/211664883168834[/embed]

At 12.15am, Ms Salimah mustered her courage and entered the room alone to see the body.

"The name matched, word for word, so did the IC and everything else. I broke down. I couldn't believe this was real."

Mr Musharraf, who was 1.9 metres tall, was in the Special Operations Command of the Singapore Police Force during his National Service and part of the team called up for duty during the Little India riots in 2013.

He was passionate about football and the police force and wanted to return to serve after his studies.

"My brother prioritised safety a lot. He wouldn't go near big or heavy vehicles," Ms Salimah added.

Ms Salimah, who will be starting school at Republic Polytechnic this year, said: "My brother promised to send me to school on the first day of my term. It will not be easy. We were very close."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.