Witness upset about Adib's death, negative comments by netizens

INQUEST | Civil Defence Force trainee Narresh Rajandran (photo) had no opportunity to pay his last respects to late firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim after having accompanied him from the Seafield Seri Mahariamman temple riot scene to the hospital.

In his testimony this afternoon, Narresh, 30, said he was emotionally affected by Adib's death and the negative comments on social media, but believed that he has performed his civic duty to save another person.

"When he (Adib) passed away, I was upset," said Narresh who narrated how he tried to make a 12-hour journey from Klang to Adib's hometown in Alor Setar upon hearing news of the firefighter's death, while receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute on Dec 17.

"When I arrived (in Alor Setar) everything (the funeral) was over. So I felt broken.

"I did not know anyone there...when I arrived at the village, people were looking at me strangely," he recalled.

Responding to threats and attacks supposedly aimed at him on social media, Narresh said he hoped people would see his main intention that night was to save someone’s life.

"I am not here to put anyone down, nor am I here to blame anyone.

"I am here just to help Adib and I hope the message gets across,” said Narresh, who is the ninth witness in the inquest to determine Adib's cause of death.

Narresh also explained how he convinced his friend, the inquest's eighth witness S Suresh, to come forward and give his statement to the police.

"One person has already suffered, so we need to get justice for him, so I told Suresh not to be scared and lend his moral support for Adib," he said, adding that Suresh was not initially contacted by the police to have his statements recorded.

Narresh, in his testimony this morning, related how he first found an injured firefighter among a crowd and eventually rode with him to the hospital in a Mitsubishi Storm driven by a passer-by at the scene.

The inquest 10th witness, retired army medical officer Mohd Hafizan, later said he was on the way to Kota Damansara that night and had just finished filling up petrol at the nearby Caltex station when he heard a voice calling for help.

"I was on the left lane about to make a U-turn. Not long after that I heard someone calling for help.

"I rolled down my window and saw about six, seven people who looked like they were carrying someone...so I got down to assist them," he said.

Hafizan said he helped Narresh place the firefighter at the back of his pick-up truck and drove them to the hospital in about 15 minutes.

The inquest continues before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad tomorrow with its 11th witness expected to take the stand. - Mkini