KLUANG:It was a long-time desire of Ikmal Hakimi Mahasan, a Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) student who had been missing since Saturday evening in the floods here, to serve the country as an embassy officer.<br /> <br /> Sadly, it was not to be when he drowned and his body was found in Kampung Bentong, near here, yesterday.<br /> <br /> The victim was said to have been driving from his home in Taman Suria here to his friend's house in Kampung Bentong when his car was believed to have fallen into flood waters near a shortcut between Kampung Melayu Nyior and Kampung Bentong.<br /> <br /> His distraught father, Mahasan Mohd Daud, 50, said since his eldest son's schooldays, Ikmal's ambition was to be a Malaysian "representative" and serve abroad.<br /> <br /> According to Mahasan, his son majored in Arabic Language and Communication, and was fluent in Arabic, which had been his favorite subject since primary school.<br /> <br /> "He was the hope of the family apart from being an example to his other siblings.<br /> <br /> "I accept his demise but I am a bit disappointed that I could not see him achieve his ambitions," he said when met at his residence in Taman Suria, here, today.<br /> <br /> Obviously, Mahasan was devastated to lose a child, and an obedient one at that, and so unexpectedly last Saturday.<br /> <br /> Mahasan said he, his wife, Murniwati Hambali, 47, and their four other children were in his hometown in Kelantan at the time of the incident.<br /> <br /> However, while in Kelantan, Murniwati expressed her concern for the deceased who was alone in the Kluang district, especially in view of the flood situation there.<br /> <br /> "But my wife and I were relieved after successfully contacting Ikmal at 3.30 pm (Jan 2), but did not think that was the last time we would be talking to him," he said.<br /> <br /> The victim's body was buried at the Jalan Haji Manan Islamic Cemetery at 6 pm, yesterday.<br /> <br /> <br /> -- BERNAMA