SINGAPORE - Mr Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, had made plans with his friends from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College East to go to Kuala Lumpur over the Good Friday holiday.
But he pulled out in February because of a new job at SMRT, which he had started two months ago.
"Our group of friends from ITE - seven of us - had planned to go to Kuala Lumpur on Good Friday. But suddenly in February, Asyraf said he couldn't make it because he had training at SMRT," said Mr Muhammad Noorfitri, 24, who had known Mr Muhammad Asyraf since 2010.
"Even though he couldn't make it for the trip, he still gave recommendations and advised us that the best way to go was by train or bus. We never thought those would be his last words to us."
Mr Muhammad Asyraf was one of two SMRT employees killed in Tuesday's fatal accident near the Pasir Ris station.
Mr Noorfitri, who is graduating from Republic Polytechnic next month, added: "After the incident happened, I sent a message to him in a Whatsapp group. We asked him 'Acap (Asyraf), the one at Pasir Ris is it Malay, Chinese or Indian?' But he did not reply. We waited, and waited. Until one of my friend sent another message when they revealed the names of the victims. We couldn't believe it. There are many Asyrafs and we kept asking 'Is it confirmed it's him?' Then we checked his Facebook, and we saw the condolence messages."
Mr Muhammad Asyraf was killed while investigating a reported alarm from equipment along the train track. He was in a group of 15 on a walkway beside the tracks when an oncoming train hit him and another trainee.
The Straits Times understands that Mr Muhammad Asyraf's parents are on pilgrimage in Mecca.
