INQUEST | A nurse with the National Heart Institute (IJN) apologised for her Facebook posting which went viral regarding the injuries sustained by deceased firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.
Testifying before the Shah Alam Coroner's Court, which is holding an inquest to determine the 24-year-old firefighter's cause of death, Siti Syafika Amira said she was overcome with emotion when she made the posting.
Responding to inquest coordinating officer Zhafran Rahim Hamzah, the nurse admitted to making the erroneous conclusion that Adib was assaulted based on what she witnessed when the firefighter was undergoing treatment in IJN.
Using a tissue to wipe her tears, she recounted the anguish of the deceased's loved ones and colleagues.
Syafika said that Adib was first brought into IJN in the early hours of Nov 28 last year.
She was on standby at IJN’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to treat the unconscious firefighter and had seen swellings, as well as bruises on his face, chest and groin area, among others.
She also saw tubes inserted into his right side of the chest.
At the time, Syafika, 27, said she had just finished setting up the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) unit for Adib who had been transferred to IJN from the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
Using the name 'Miera', Siti Syafika's posting had disputed Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) forensic medical specialist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi's findings that Adib's injuries were more likely to due to being hit by the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van as it was reversing on the night of the Seafield Temple riots.
Yesterday, the doctor told the court that as a result of the nurse's posting, he had been subjected to online slurs. Her posting has since been retracted.
Zhafran: Why has the (FB) posting been withdrawn?
Syafika: Because I was receiving too many personal messages (as a result of the posting).
Zhafran: Did you later tell the doctor (Hafizam) to whom you directed (the FB posting)?
Syafika: I apologised to the doctor impugned in my posting because I was overcome with emotions without knowing the facts of what truly transpired in the incident (the riot)
Zhafran: Why were you so emotional until this (FB posting) happened? You only treated him (Adib) three times while at IJN.
Syafika: It was because while the deceased was there (at IJN), I saw the condition of his family who was crying, the condition of his fiancee, the firefighters who came to visit and slept on chairs outside the ICU every day. I felt the feeling of family togetherness.
Questioned further by Zhafran, the nurse said her emotional state was also influenced by what she read on social media regarding the inquest, including a post about a witness having lost his handphone.
It is believed that Syafika was referring to a witness who testified having recorded an angry mob approaching the First Rescue Tender (FRT) vehicle and the EMRS van at the scene of the riot, causing both vehicles to reverse to avoid the crowd.
Syafika: Previously, I heard that Adib had admitted that he was beaten.
Zhafran: Where did you hear that?
Syafika: I heard from 'Ashraf' (an IJN colleague) when I was tending to Adib. Ashraf had asked Adib (what happened to him), and during the first two times, Adib shook his head, but the third time he nodded (when asked if he was beaten).
Zhafran: So (the posting) was based on this story by Ashraf.
Syafika: Yes.
Zhafran: Who is this?
Syafika: A colleague at IJN.
Zhafran: Is this the same Ashraf who testified in this inquest?
Syafika: Yes.
Zhafran: When was this relayed to you by Ashraf?
Syafika: I am not sure of the date but it was sometime after I first tended to Adib (at IJN)
She was referring to surgical assistant Muhammad Ashraf Baruji, who was previously reported to have communicated with Adib via a whiteboard and sign language when Adib was warded at IJN.
Syafika said that following her FB posting, IJN’s nurse matron and general manager of human resources had demanded an explanation from her.
The nurse said she explained the matter to them and so far, no other action has been taken against her.
The inquest resumes this afternoon before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad. - Mkini
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