KUALA LUMPUR: Former New Straits Times journalist, Marc Lourdes, died in an accident at KM40 Jalan Kota Baru-Kuala Krai in Kelantan today.
He was 40 years old.
He was involved in a head-on collision with a four-wheel drive coming from the opposite direction while riding a high powered motorcycle.
Marc's brother-in-law Raymond Jude when contacted confirmed the news about his death.
Machang district police chief Deputy Superintendent Ganti Jimmy said Marc died on the spot in the incident which happened while he was heading to Kota Baru from Kuala Krai at about 1.20pm.
"The victim was riding towards Kota Baru when his motorcycle collided with a car coming from the opposite direction," he said in a statement.
Ganti said the 26-year-old driver of the car escaped unhurt.
He added Marc's body was sent to the Machang district hospital for post-mortem.
Marc, born Marc Ferdinand Joseph Lourdes, leaves behind a wife, Darshini Kandasamy, while his mother resides in India.
He began his career in journalism at The Star in 2005 before joining the NST. He later became the editor-in-chief of Yahoo Malaysia, Yahoo Singapore and subsequently, Yahoo Southeast Asia before joining CNN as the Digital Director of Asia.
Marc and Darshini ran the subscription newsletter Between the Lines.
Darshini in a social media post described Marc as her rock, her "everything".
"It's cruel, that he should be robbed of life days shy of our 10 wedding anniversary but I take solace in the fact he died doing what he loved most, riding his bike, living life.
"I am writing the words I never thought I would have to pen, at least not till we're old and grey. But my beloved Marc, my husband, the love of my life, my partner-in-crime, my best friend is no more.
"He made my heart sing and, I'd like to think, touched and lifted the lives of those he met. He loved his family, his friends and life to the fullest. His departure will leave a gap nothing can fill," she wrote.
She said with the current Covid-19 pandemic, the planned wake and funeral would be small and only for closest family and friends.
"But please say a prayer that my beloved is in peace and one day I hope we can share our best memories of him together... But till then, please keep us in your hearts and prayers."
