"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un (We belong to God, and to Him we return). The PBSI, the badminton society, and all badminton lovers feel very devastated by the death of Belawa, a player who had great and strong talents," PBSI chairperson Agung Firman Sampurna said here.
Belawa, who was born in Jakarta on August 25, 2001, died in an accident on Pemalang toll road, Central Java, early on Monday morning.
At the time, he and his family were traveling by road from Bekasi, West Java, to Sragen, Central Java, to attend the funeral of Belawa's great-grandmother, who died on Sunday evening.
The accident occurred when, Belawa’s father, Sutamto, hit another vehicle from behind. Belawa and his mother died. Sutamto, who survived, is in critical condition. Belawa’s two sisters were also injured in the mishap.
All three surviving family members are currently undergoing treatment at Al Ikhlas Islamic Hospital in Pemalang, PBSI informed.
PBSI also prayed that the family members who are still undergoing treatment will recover soon.
Belawa, who formerly trained at the PB Djarum Kudus badminton club and joined the Cipayung National Centralized Training Center (Pelatnas) in 2018, was known for his polite behavior, high discipline, toughness, and fighting spirit, and earned many achievements.
His passing has caused deep sorrow to his family, colleagues, and the entire Indonesian sports community. Christian Adinata, Belawa's roommate at Cipayung Pelatnas dormitory, East Jakarta, also expressed grief over his death.
"I am devastated by his passing, my roommate. Belawa was always an easy-going person, always able to make the mood better. He was very diligent and focused. He was always an encouragement for his teammates, whether during training or when competing," Adinata noted.
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Translator: Roy B, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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