Doc: He told me he did not know what happened to him

SHAH ALAM: Fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim came out of unconsciousness on the sixth day of his hospitalisation at the National Heart Institute (IJN) but told a specialist that he did not know what happened to him, the inquest into his death heard.

IJN senior consultant cardiothoracic and heart/lung transplant surgeon Datuk Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib said when Muhammad Adib became more alert, he asked Muh­ammad Adib what happened to him.

He was among the specialists who treated Muhammad Adib and is the 14th witness called to the inquest.

When asked by Faten Hadini Khairuddin from the Attorney General’s Chambers whether he asked Muhammad Adib what happened to him, Dr Mohamed Ezani said that he did.

The doctor said that when he asked Muhammad Adib if he remembered what happened to him, the fireman shook his head.

“I could not recall the date – but maybe this was around day six that he was in IJN – I asked the patient, ‘Do you remember what happened?’

“He shook his head. I stopped and didn’t ask further questions,” he said.

This was also Muhammad Adib’s answer to the same question by the investigating officer (IO) on his case, he added.

Dr Mohamed Ezani said that a staff member of IJN named Asyraf told him that he asked the fireman the question.

“Asyraf asked whether he remembered what happened to him and the patient nodded his head.

“Asyraf then asked whether he was beaten up and the patient nodded his head,” he said, adding that he then told Asyraf to relay the information to IJN’s legal team.

Another witness, the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) director Datuk Dr Suneta Sulaiman said Muhammad Adib was alert and able to communicate several days into his hospitalisation at IJN.

She said the 24-year-old fireman was communicating using hand signals, as he was still unable to talk as he had a breathing tube in his throat.

Dr Suneta said that Muhammad Adib was also able to complain of pain on his right shoulder – by using his left hand to point at his right shoulder.

His consciousness, however, was fluctuating as he was still on sedation medication throughout his time in the hospital’s ICU unit, she said.

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

Yesterday was day nine of the inquest and it continues today.

Muhammad Adib was critically injured when he and his team members from the Subang Jaya fire station responded to an emergency at the Seafield Sri Mariamman Temple where riots were happening last November.