Injured fireman moved to IJN for further treatment

Muhammad Adib Muhammad Kassim, the Fire and Rescue Department personnel who was severely injured during the riots outside the Sri Maha Mariamman temple early yesterday morning, has been transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for further treatment.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, who oversees the Fire and Rescue Department, conveyed this at a press conference at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) at 11.20pm tonight.

“The doctors are now preparing to move Adib to IJN.

“IJN has a machine, and it is the only machine in the whole of Malaysia that can provide some additional treatment by allowing more oxygen into his lungs.

“By allowing oxygen into his lungs, we hope he can recover faster,” she said after visiting Adib and his family at the medical centre.

An IJN ambulance was seen leaving the private hospital at 11.30pm.

The department’s director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid had earlier said that Adib’s lungs were punctured by several of his broken ribs.

“He has bruises all over, on his abdomen and chest. We suspect that is the cause for his fractured ribs, which punctured his lungs and affected his intestines.

“He is still on life support,” Hamdan had said.

Adib, 24, was in an emergency response van when a mob began to throw stones at the vehicle, breaking the windows, side mirrors and doors.

The van had arrived at the scene in response to calls about a fire at the riot.

It was during the melee that he was dragged out of the vehicle and assaulted.

In the midst of the chaos, Adib's partner drove off without realising that Adib was not in the vehicle with him.

He was later brought to the hospital by a member of the public.

Malaysiakini understands that Adib’s parents, siblings and fiance will be heading to IJN to be with him.

Adib received a slew of guests today, including Water, Land and Natural Resources minister Xavier Jayakumar, Communications and Multimedia minister Gobind Singh Deo, De facto National Unity and Social Wellbeing minister P Waythamoorthy and Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman.

Members of MIC, PAS and the Sri Maha Mariamman temple committee also visited him at SJMC. -Mkini