SIBU: A Penan student from the deep interior of Ulu Baram had to be airlifted to sit for her STPM exam as the only road in her village had collapsed after heavy rain.
Syafinaz Deng, 20, was stranded in her village of Apau Nyaring and needed to return to her boarding school as all boarding students were instructed to return early to prepare for STPM.
She said it was by chance that there was a flight back to Miri after it delivered dry food supplies to her village, which had been cut off from communication for two weeks.
“I would like to thank the villagers for requesting the pilot’s assistance to fly me to Marudi so that I would not miss the exam,” said the student of SMK Marudi.
To the rescue: Syafinaz with James before flying off to Marudi.
Her STPM Semester 3 exam is scheduled for today.
Utusan Sarawak reported that the helicopter pilot, Capt James Dario Canero, flew Syafinaz to Marudi on Friday.
The “mission” was carried out via a Hornbills Skyway which was sending food supplies to Long Liaw, Apau Nyaring and Long Kerong.
The helicopter landed at Marudi to drop off Syafinaz before flying back to its base in Miri.
“This is my first time flying in a helicopter. I never expected it at all,” said Syafinaz.
“I never imagined I would travel by helicopter to return to school in Marudi. I am grateful to the pilot for taking me on the 40-minute flight.”
Syafinaz, the second of four siblings, said that even if the road from her village to Marudi had been open, the journey would have been arduous.
She said it took her and her parents eight hours to travel back to their village for the recent school holidays.
