Adib inquest: Fireman tells of intimidation, being chased and samurai sword

SHAH ALAM: Fireman Muhammad Hazim Rahimi says firefighters were only able to do their jobs on Nov 27 during the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riot when the police were around to control the crowd.

He told the inquest – set up to determine the cause of death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim (pic) – about angry crowds, being chased and even a person wielding what looked like a samurai sword.

Under questioning from Housing and Local Government Ministry lawyer Syazlin Mansor, Muhammad Hazim said they were only able to do their job when the police were present.

"Would it be correct to say that the public were unable to come near firefighters since the morning (of Nov 26) because the police on guard (kawal)?" said Syazlin.

"Yes," Muhammad Hazim answered.

"Would it be correct to say that on Nov 27 (at the time of the incident), they (the public) could approach the firemen since the police were not guarding (tidak kawal)?" Syazlin said.

"Yes," was the answer.

Recalling his experience that morning, Muhammad Hazim said he was in the Fire and Rescue Department's fire truck when the team arrived near the temple at 1.12am to put out a fire.

He said he got out of the fire truck immediately to take out the hose reel, as he was the nozzleman.

"When I got out, I heard sounds from those in the vicinity.

"Before I was able to take out the hose reel, I saw people who were in front of the temple rushing towards the truck," he said.

It was also then that he saw a man running towards him, he said.

"I saw someone running and he chased me, while the others went on to attack the fire truck.

"One person behind him was holding a long object. It looked like a samurai sword," he said.

Fearing for his safety, as some of the men were carrying objects that could be used as weapons, Muhammad Hazim said he ran to the rear side of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van that was parked behind the fire truck.

"I opened the door, went in, closed it and hid," he said.

Muhammad Adib was sitting on the front passenger seat of the EMRS van, said Muhammad Hazim.

He added that all of the van's doors were closed when he was running towards the van.

He could hear rioters knocking against the EMRS van all the while he was inside, he added.

It was also while he was in the van that two helmets were thrown into the rear of the EMRS van, breaking two windows at the back.

He also witnessed the sliding door of the EMRS van coming off the van as it brushed into the fire truck.

Having a view of the sliding door coming off, Muhammad Hazim said that there was no one trapped in between the EMRS van and fire truck while the two vehicles were side by side.

Thursday (Feb 14) is day four of the inquest.

Judge Rofiah Mohamad sits as coroner for the inquest, which is held at the Shah Alam Sessions Court.

Muhammad Adib, 24, was critically injured when he and his team mates from the Subang Jaya fire station responded to an emergency at the temple where riots were happening last November.

He was taken to SJMC before being transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) where he later died.