PETALING JAYA: Seventeen-year old Muhammad Haziq Mohd Tarmizi whose life was ended at the hands of a deranged man was described by his school teachers as a student ready to “flourish.”
Haziq had reportedly just relocated to the Burnside High School in the New Zealand city of Christchurch 18-months ago, and he had resettled well despite been relatively new in school.
He was believed to have relocated there after his Kedahan father Muhammad Tazmizi Shuib was offered a job as an aircraft simulation engineer there.
Haziq became the 50th victim to be positively identified in the mass murder of Friday prayer worshippers by an Aussie-born terrorist one week ago.
Altogether, there were 50 people killed after a terrorist stormed into the Al-Noor and Linwood Mosques and shot randomly at the worshippers.
Another 50 people including Tarmizi were wounded.
“He was a great young man, who had the respect of his mates and teachers,“ principal Phil Holstein said.
The account of Haziq was reported by New Zealand’s largest online news site — http://www.stuff.co.nz
In another development, a member of the Australia & New Zealand Graduates Association of Malaysia has called on fellow graduates to embark on a campaign of moderation and peace in the name of Haziq.
Simon Wai Yeap Leong said that the Kiwis are one of the friendliest folks he has met, and they are kind and receptive to having foreigners live over there.
“This makes the country relatively peaceful until a disturbed individual wanted to scatter the peace there. We must fight back against extremism.”
Wai, who studied at the city’s Lincoln University, urged his association to initiate campaigns to promote moderation.
“We also do not want any party to use religion to further the cause of an individual or a group. To grow as a community or nation, we must grow our economy.”
He also conveyed his condolences to the family of Haziq, saying the entire Malaysia mourns with them.
Ironically, the teenager is also the first Malaysian to be killed by an act of terrorism aboard.
