Widows: Where is the justice?

Too lenient: Noor Aziah, the widow of fallen police officer ASP Zulkifli Mamat, finds the sentence not harsh enough.

KOTA KINABALU: The men – and woman – who wreaked terror and caused havoc in Lahad Datu have been jailed, some of them for life but to the women whose lives were forever changed by the intrusion, the court’s decision brings no closure.

The widows of the slain policemen felt that jail terms, including life imprisonment for nine, were inadequate.

Teacher Noor Aziah Noor, 31, said that while she accepted the High Court’s decision, she felt that it was too light for the crime they had committed.

“My husband and other policemen died because of these people and some are just jailed for life while some others have been released,” said Noor Aziah, whose husband Asst Supt Zulkifli Mamat was the first of two policemen killed in skirmishes with gunmen at Tanduo.

“In my heart of hearts, I am just wondering where is the justice?” Noor Aziah added.

However, she added that whatever the punishment meted out by the courts, it would not change anything for her and her three sons, aged between three and eight.

“We are still trying to live our lives – me without my husband and our children without their father.

“Our eldest gets upset when I have to go away,” she said.

Marlina Utan, whose husband Kpl Salam Tugiran was killed in Kg Simunul, Semporna, was also disappointed.

“We have been so worried and so scared, whether these people would be released because we do not know what they are capable of doing,” she said.

“To know that there have been some who were found not guilty and some jailed for less than 20 years is just a letdown,” said the cafe owner and mother of four.

She said she had no choice but to accept what had been decided by the court.

“My children and I are still feeling my husband’s absence. We are trying to move on but it is so difficult.

“Today’s court decision has not made things any easier,” said Marlina, whose life now centres around her four children, aged between five and 19.

“They are my pillars of strength. I do not know if I could have coped without them.”

Besides ASP Zulkifli, the other Vat 69 commando killed in the skirmishes with Sulu gunmen was Sjn Sabaruddin Daud, 46.

Salam was among six policemen killed by gunmen at Kampung Simunul. The others were ACP Ibrahim Lebar, 52, ASP Michael Padel, 36, Sjn Abdul Aziz Sarikon, 48, L/ Kpl Mohd Azrul Tukiran, 27 and Sjn Baharin Hamit, 49.

Also killed during the intrusion was soldier Pbt Ahmad Hurairah Ismail, 27, who was killed in a traffic mishap.