Wan Akil (front, left) and students showing their spirit of hope for the missing MAS flight MH370.
Anna Natasha Puteh
KOTA SAMARAHAN: The niece of chief steward Andrew Peter Nari of the missing MAS flight MH370 is still hoping for Andrew’s safe return.
Anna Natasha Puteh, aged 20, a student of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak, said she last saw her uncle during a family reunion last year.
Although she seldom met her uncle as he lived with his wife and children in Puchong, Selangor, she said they used to keep in touch through Facebook. He also used to keep in touch with his mother in Sibu, she added.
“The last I heard of him was when he told my aunty in Sibu to update him about a football match before he flew to Beijing. His favourite team is Liverpool,” she said when met at the ‘#UiTMSarawakWeCare#PrayForMH370’ programme and closing ceremony of the university’s co-curriculum for November 2013 to March 2014 session, held at the UiTM Sarawak campus here yesterday.
According to her, Andrew is a friendly and cheerful person.
His other niece, Debbie Cavin, is also a student in the campus.
Anna said she found out about the news of the missing plane on the morning of March 8 but did not know her uncle was among those on board until that evening when her grandmother contacted her from Sibu.
“When I heard about the news I was so much saddened by it. What hurts me most is not knowing what happened to the plane. Until today I am still wondering about his safety and all those on board,” she said.
Regardless of speculations, she said she still has faith that Andrew and the rest will return home safely, adding she also tried to call his mobile phone but failed to connect.
The UiTM Sarawak ‘We Care’ programme started on March 10 and had garnered more than 500 signatures from students and staff.
Programme organiser Awang Fardillah Awang Hussin presented the banner containing signatures to deputy rector of special students affair, associate professor Wan Akil Tuanku Abdullah, yesterday.
Prayers were also conducted in conjunction with the programme on March 10.
The hashtag #UiTMSarawakWeCare is trending in Twitter and Instagram.
The purpose of the programme is to show that students and staff of UiTM Sarawak are also aware of the tragedy and that they are concerned for all the passengers and crew on MH370.
More than 600 students attended the session’s closing ceremony yesterday. Among the activities held were dance performance by art students, ‘Golden Hornbill Drumline Brass Band performance’ and ‘Pray for MH370’.