Netizens pay tribute to deceased S’porean with special needs, often spotted at mosques

Singapore – The death of a Singaporean with special needs garnered overwhelming condolences and tribute from the online community as he was someone who has left a smile on many.

Members of the public who frequently visit mosques in the Geylang Serai area might have recognised Muhammad Fadil Sulaiman, a regular in the vicinity. One would remember him as someone with a smile on his face, happily greeting everyone he meets. He has left an indelible impact on many people’s lives, noted mustsharenews.com on Thursday (Dec 17).

According to a BERITA Mediacorp report, the lively Mr Fadil passed away on Wednesday (Dec 16) after collapsing at an MRT station.

Former DJ and founder of The Orange Ballroom, Syah Ibrahim, took to social media on Wednesday night to inform the public of the news. He held a Facebook live after communicating with the late Mr Fadil’s family.

Mr Syah provided live updates from Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where the deceased’s body was sent for a possible postmortem, reported mustsharenews.com.

Throughout the video and in his caption, Mr Syah mentioned how many from the Malay-Muslim community dearly loved the late Mr Fadil. The video has over 1,100 comments and 68,000 views to date. It was evident in the comments that members from the online community shared the same sentiments.

It was his humility, positive attitude and contagious smile that made the late Mr Fadil a well-known individual in the area. He would also help mosques collect donations, despite living a seemingly simple life, the report noted.

The man would attend talks and religious events, a tradition he followed diligently since he was a teenager.

The late Mr Fadil’s enthusiasm even touched the hearts of local Malay celebrities. Suria Mediacorp artistes took to their social media platforms to pay tribute to the “noble person” who was always smiling.

Mr Syah has been active in social media, providing glimpses through Facebook live videos of the funeral ceremony of the late Mr Fadil.

Many have come forward to offer his family assistance, including the Singapore Islamic Scholars & Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) who offered to pay for funeral arrangements.