Adib said he was beaten up, pulled out of van - station chief

INQUEST | Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim had indicated that he was beaten up and pulled out of his Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) vehicle on the night of the Seafield Seri Maha Mariamman temple riot last November.

This was relayed by Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Department station chief Syed Shahril Anuar Syed Sulaiman to the inquest into firefighter's cause of death. 

Describing the meeting with Adib at the intensive care unit of the National Heart Institute on Dec 5, Shahril said he was standing by Adib's bed and held the firefighter's left hand as he gave words of encouragement.

"In that moment, it occurred to me to ask Adib some questions. Before I asked, first I asked his permission, and he nodded.

"While still holding hands, I asked, 'Adib, did you get beaten up?' And he nodded. 'Really?' And he nodded again.

"I said I have another question, and again he nodded. 'Were you pulled out?' He nodded. He released my hand, raised his arm and pointed to his shoulder," he said.

More questions

Shahril, the 18th witness of the inquest, said that after he left IJN that day, he prepared a set of 15 written questions amid mounting public speculation on the cause of Adib's injuries.

He said he got the opportunity to ask Adib the questions during a Dec 12 visit, with Adib's condition at the time showing signs of improvement.

"Adib raised his left arm when we walked into the room, welcoming us. We saw his condition had improved, he looked more cheerful.

"I gave him words of encouragement, 'Alhamdulillah, you are recovering'... he nodded and gave us the thumbs-up sign," he said, adding that Adib was a happy-go-lucky member of his 46-member team.

Shahril then told Adib that he had prepared a set of written questions, which Adib held with his left hand, read through, and requested for a pen to mark his answers.

"I asked Adib, 'Do you understand?' And he nodded," he said, pointing out that he stood on the left of Adib, who was in a reclining position on the hospital bed.

'Were you beaten up?'

The station chief told the inquest that Adib had answered 'yes' to a series of questions on the incidents which led to his injuries, but this time, did not clearly respond directly to a question on whether he was beaten up.

Shahril said Adib marked 'yes' to questions on whether rioters had attempted to force open the door to the EMRS van, whether Adib had attempted to prevent the door from opening, whether rioters succeeded in forcing open the door, and whether he was pulled out of the EMRS van.

To a question on whether Adib was pulled out by his arms, chest or shoulder, Shahril said Adib marked 'yes' to indicate 'shoulder', and once again gestured to his left shoulder with his left arm.

Shahril, who read out the 15 questions in the Shah Alam Coroner's Court today, said Adib gestured to note he did not remember details for three questions – whether he fell down after being pulled out of the van, whether he was assaulted after falling out of the van, and whether he remained conscious when beaten.

To another series of questions, Adib was said to have marked 'yes' to indicate that he was beaten with an apparatus, that he could not see the apparatus, and marked 'others' on whether said apparatus was a rock, stick, metal rod or others.

Adib also revealed that he felt threatened on the night of the riot, the station chief said, although he gestured that he could not remember whether he attempted to defend himself against the alleged assault.

Following their interactions that day, Shahril said he later informed his superior of Adib's confession. The information was also handed over to the police, who were investigating the firefighter's death.

Previous expert witnesses in the inquest had testified that Adib remained "critically ill" throughout his 21-day stay at IJN, and that his consciousness level would vary depending on the amount of sedation given.

While hooked up to several machines, Adib was able to communicate using physical gestures and writing, before his condition deteriorated on Dec 14. He died three days later.

The inquest before coroner Rofiah Mohamad continues into its 12th day tomorrow. - Mkini