A DECADE ON, MH17 TRAGEDY AND TRAUMA STILL ENVELOPS NUR SHAZANA'S MOTHER

By Erma Idayu Mohd Yusop & Ima Aimi Nadia Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Feelings of profound longing and sorrow continually envelop the families of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 victims, shot down over a conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.

A decade later, the weight of that shocking incident remains ever-present in their hearts.

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Sharom Bee Md Ibrahi, 67, the mother of Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh, who perished in the tragedy, fondly recalls her eldest daughter as warm and sociable, her memory still vivid and cherished in her heart.

She said the sadness and longing were especially strong during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

While Muslims welcome Ramadan with gratitude, her heart is filled with anguish, missing her daughter, especially since the tragedy occurred during the fasting month.

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"If you ask me, there is not a single moment or anything about Shazana that I forget... it's sad, terribly sad. I miss her every time I think about her, especially since she left us forever in such a manner.

"Our family still visits her grave in Putrajaya, and I always ask my other children to take me there to relieve my longing for her," Sharom Bee told Bernama.

Nur Shazana was one of the 15 crew members on MH17, which was shot down by a missile over a conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, including 80 children.

The victims included passengers from 17 countries, with 198 from the Netherlands, 43 from Malaysia, 38 from Australia, and 10 from the United Kingdom.

Sharom Bee, who lives in Bayan Baru, Penang, revealed that she suffers from insomnia, frequently waking at night upon hearing airplanes from the nearby Penang International Airport, haunted by the lasting trauma of the incident.

"Every time I see and hear an airplane, I am reminded of her. To this day, I am still traumatised by the sound of planes. I've also decided to move away because I have trouble sleeping due to the sounds," she said.

Reminiscing on her time with Nur Shazana, aged 31 when she passed away, Sharom Bee said all the memories with her late daughter remain etched in her heart.

Whenever she misses Nur Shazana, she looks at her pictures to ease her pain and longing.

She shared that the plane crash near Bandar Elmina, Shah Alam, Selangor in August last year also affected her deeply, as one of the victims, the late Mohammad Taufiq Mohd Zaki, was her nephew.

She lamented that both Nur Shazana and Mohammad Taufiq, aged 37, who was a close cousin, met the same tragic fate of leaving the family under similar circumstances.

Meanwhile, Habibah Ismail, 75, the mother of MH17 chief stewardess, Azrina Yakob, 41, continues to seek justice for her daughter and stays updated on all the developments.

Even after a decade has passed, there is not a single day where she does not miss her daughter.

"The longing is always there, strong as ever... she was busy with her career and family, but she used to always keep in touch with me," she said.

-- BERNAMA