MALACCA: "I thought I would go first but what can I say, God loves him more," said Ghazali Johari, the father of Suhaimi Ghazali who was burnt to death in an accident at Km252 of the North-South Expressway near the Senawang toll plaza yesterday morning.

Suhaimi's wife and children were also killed.

Ghazali, 66, said he last saw the family on Saturday.

"It was a norm for them to visit me before going outstation. I was shocked to receive a call from police yesterday informing me that Suhaimi and his family had died. I was speechless when I saw their charred remains," he said.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam was present to pay his last respects to Suhaimi and his family.

"This is a huge loss of a successful Bumiputera entrepreneur to the state."

Suhaimi's family lawyer, Damian Yeo, described Suhaimi as a loving husband and father.

Yeo was supposed to have met Suhaimi to sign a sale and purchase agreement yesterday evening. Suhaimi was one of his firm's biggest clients.

"I last met Suhaimi three weeks ago when he took ownership of the ill-fated BMW which he and his family were travelling in. He was a very humble person with a kind heart."

Yeo recalled an incident where Suhaimi was conned by his partner in a car park venture.

Despite being cheated, Suhaimi did not want any action taken against the man.

"He was a jovial person who would be missed by many," he said at the Bukit Pegoh Muslim burial ground here where Suhaimi and his family were laid to rest.