SINGAPORE — Republic Polytechnic student Muhammad Razif Harun, 21, had made plans to play rugby against a team from Ngee Ann Poly on the night of Oct 15, but he never made it to the game.
He died in the early hours of that day in Malaysia after he lost control of his motorcyle on his way home from a road trip to Thailand's Krabi.
The local authorities said Razif sustained a serious head injury and died on the spot near Senawang, Negeri Sembilan, which is more than 250km from Johor Bahru.
Malaysian police said weather conditions at the time were good, but the section of the highway where the accident took place was unlit and dark.
Razif's cousin, Nur Syaza Balqis, 23, said he had always been passionate about rugby and was enrolled in the Sports Wellness and Services diploma programme in Republic Poly.
Speaking to The Straits Times, she said: "He wanted to be a successful rugby player."
Nur Syaza said Razif's parents divorced when he was 10 and his father died about a month after the divorce. That was when he decided to live with her family, she added.
Her father soon became Razif's legal guardian, she said. Razif's mum died on July 25, 2024, she added.
Nur Syaza said she remembers how Razif was moved to tears when his family gave him a handwritten letter on his 18th birthday.
"He definitely brought colour to our family, and he will be missed," she added.
Razif's rugby teammates found out about his death in the morning, hours before the match against Ngee Ann Poly.
They paid tribute to him by observing a minute of silence at 7.55pm before the match began. One of his teammates placed a rugby jersey with his squad number on the ball in his memory.
In a Facebook post on Oct 15, the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) rugby group informed its members of Razif's death with "deep sadness".
They wrote on the post: "Many of us had the pleasure of touring with him in Spain recently, and can attest to his wonderful, kind and fun-loving view of the world.
"A juggernaut on the pitch, and a gentle giant off it, he will be missed."
The post said Razif's two younger sisters — one, a secondary school student, and the other, an undergrad — were being cared for by his aunt, and the SCC rugby group was helping to raise funds to help support the two girls.
The sudden death of Razif has left his close friends feeling devastated.
"Even while dealing with his own challenges, he remained positive, facing each obstacle with determination and grace," said his former schoolmate Nur Shahfeezah Sulhan, 21.
Agreeing, Nor Azniza Abdul Aziz, also 21, said: "He was dependable, incredibly generous and always willing to help others. I wish I could have said to him 'I'm proud of you'."
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
