Malaysian Fruit Picker Who Drowned In Australia Was Supposed To Get Married Next Year
He was working as a fruit picker at the Farm Buffalo Orchard in Melbourne.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 30 Dec 2016, 02:15 PM
A 26-year-old Malaysian was found dead at Myrtleford in Melbourne on 13 December.
Muhammad Farhan Na'imullah Zubir, who was working as a fruit picker at the Farm Buffalo Orchard apparently drowned while bathing in the Ovens River near his lodging.
Australia's The Age, reported Leading Senior Constable Anthony Short as saying that Muhammad Farhan had gone for a swim with his friends at about 2pm on 13 December but got into unexplained "difficulties" and disappeared under water sometime later.
"His friends tried valiantly to locate him before police and ambulance were notified," added Short, as reported by The Age on 14 December.
Muhammad Farhan's body was found about six hours later at about 8pm by the search and rescue team.
It was reported that Muhammad Farhan took up fruit picking as a temporary job and was supposed to come back to Malaysia to get married early next year
Muhammad Farhan who was a former student of Kedah's Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) got engaged to his college mate just a few months ago, in September 2016.
Yesterday, 29 December, about two weeks after his untimely death, Muhammad Farhan's remains finally arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
Muhammad Farhan's family waiting for his remains at the KLIA cargo complex yesterday, 28 December.
Image via BernamaHis body was flown home on Thai Airways flight TG415 and was received by his uncle Osman Ahmad, 59, and his 22-year-old brother Muhammad Faiz Farhan Zubir at the KLIA cargo complex at about 11.55am yesterday.
They then brought his remains back to his hometown, Johor Bahru, reaching at 1.55pm for funeral prayers and the burial at the Bukit Aliff Muslim cemetery.
It had cost the family a hefty sum of RM50,000 to fly Muhammad Farhan's remains back to Malaysia.
His elder sister, Nurdiyana Zubir, 29, thanked everyone on behalf of his family that helped them financially in their efforts to bring his body back home.
Muhammad Farhan's sister, Nurdiyana Zubir at the KLIA cargo complex.
Image via Harian Metro/Mohd Fadli Hamzah"The two weeks of waiting has finally come to an end. Our family is grateful that my brother’s remains are eventually brought home and to be laid to rest in our hometown. At least, he’ll be 'close' to us," added Nurdiyana when speaking to reporters at the KLIA cargo complex yesterday.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Farhan's aunt, Maznah Salim, 62 also took the opportunity to express her appreciation and heartfelt thanks to Wisma Putra and the Malaysian Consulate General in Melbourne for making sure that the repatriation process went smoothly and without any hitch.
Working as fruit pickers in Australian farms have become quite the trend among Malaysians looking to earn more money. It was reported earlier this year that, Malaysians can earn up to RM39 per hour as a fruit picker and sorter in Australian farms.
About 70% of people working there are said to be Malaysians.