Mohd Radzi Rahimi, a 40-year-old Pahang UMNO Youth treasurer, was among four people killed in a tragic incident near Janda Baik along the old Kuala Lumpur-Bentong road on Wednesday afternoon when a tree fell on their vehicle. His death has prompted reflection on his nearly two decades of service within the party's youth wing, a period during which he earned respect from senior UMNO figures and grassroots members alike.
Rahimi Abd Samad, Mohd Radzi's father, shared memories of his son's long political journey in remarks made at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital Forensic Unit in Temerloh. According to the 63-year-old, his late son had committed approximately ten years to serving in the Maran UMNO Youth division before rising through the ranks to eventually helm the youth wing's treasury portfolio at the state level. This progression from divisional member to state treasurer reflected both his dedication and the confidence party members placed in him.
The elder Rahimi emphasised that his son's involvement in UMNO activities was comprehensive and visible throughout the local community. Many party members developed close working relationships with the younger Rahimi, testament to his approachability and commitment to youth mobilisation efforts. The attendance of UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh at the hospital to pay respects underscored the esteem in which Mohd Radzi was held within the party hierarchy, bridging the gap between grassroots organisers and national leadership.
The fatal incident claimed the lives of Mohd Radzi, his wife Nuriani Mohammad Jafri aged 36, his five-year-old son Muhammad Rizz Hazim, and his brother-in-law Mohammad Nizam Mohammad Jafri, 35. The group had been returning from a motorcycle programme organised with Maran youth in Pulau Pangkor, Perak, when the accident occurred at approximately one in the afternoon. The fallen tree crushed their four-wheel-drive vehicle with devastating force, leaving only one survivor from the party.
Muhammad Rizz Haziq Mohd Radzi, the couple's other son, sustained severe head injuries in the collision and remained hospitalised at the time for ongoing treatment. The child's survival amid the tragedy offered a glimmer of hope, though his long-term prognosis remained uncertain. Rahimi senior expressed that his grandson was receiving appropriate medical care and that the family remained hopeful for his recovery.
In his account to reporters, Rahimi recalled the ordinariness of their final separation. He had last seen his son on Thursday before Mohd Radzi's departure for Pangkor, with nothing in their conversation suggesting the calamity that would follow. The younger man had simply mentioned his plans to join a motorcycle convoy to Perak with companions, describing it as a routine recreational and youth engagement activity. The routine nature of such events meant that Rahimi senior, like many families, would have harboured no particular concerns about the outing.
The journey had been part of broader youth mobilisation efforts within UMNO's Maran division, reflecting the party's ongoing commitment to engaging younger members through recreational and team-building activities. Motorcycle convoys have become a popular method for political parties in Malaysia to strengthen camaraderie and demonstrate visible presence within their constituencies. That such an activity would end in tragedy has raised questions about road safety and event planning, though initial reports suggest the incident was caused by natural forces rather than negligence.
Beyond immediate family, Mohd Radzi's loss resonated within UMNO's leadership structure. UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Shahaniza Shamsuddin, who also serves as Maran UMNO division chief, visited to offer condolences alongside Kuantan UMNO division chief Datuk Seri Ab. Hamid Nazahar. These high-level visits reflected the political significance of Mohd Radzi's role and the regard in which he was held across multiple levels of party organisation.
The post-mortem examinations on all four victims were concluded by nine in the evening, allowing funeral arrangements to proceed according to Islamic practice. The bodies were transported to Masjid Kampung Paya Luas in Temerloh for ritual washing and shrouding, traditional steps that would be followed by funeral prayers and interment at Taman Sri Chendung Muslim cemetery in Maran. These arrangements reflected the family's commitment to honouring Islamic funeral traditions and the deceased's roots in the Maran community.
Mohd Radzi's death represents a significant loss to Pahang's UMNO Youth movement, which will need to find a successor to his treasurer position. The manner of his passing—sudden and alongside his young family—has cast a sombre shadow over the party apparatus in the state. For Rahimi senior, the loss encompasses not merely a son's future potential within political circles, but the abrupt termination of family bonds, a reality that extends beyond political analysis into the deeply personal sphere of grief and loss.
The incident also serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictability of road travel in Malaysia, particularly along older routes where fallen trees pose hazards during certain weather conditions. While the Janda Baik area is popular for recreational activities, the accident highlights the risks inherent in such travel, especially during seasons when storms can bring down large trees onto roadways with little warning. Road safety authorities may well review conditions along this particular stretch in response to the tragedy.
For the broader UMNO Youth movement, Mohd Radzi's decade-long service and the respect he earned will likely be remembered as exemplifying the dedicated party workers who form the backbone of grassroots political organisation. His father's proud recollection of those years of service, even amid grief, speaks to a life committed to institutional building and community engagement, values that UMNO leadership will presumably seek to honour in his memory.
