KUALA LUMPUR: After months of being stranded in a Saudi Arabian hospital, Asmah Mansor’s story took a miraculous turn when a RM575,000 air ambulance, funded largely by concerned Malaysians, brought the 71-year-old home to her waiting family.
As she was wheeled into Hospital Putrajaya on a special bed following a long medical flight from Jeddah on Monday night, her family said they could not believe she had made it home.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, who initiated the effort to bring her home and welcomed her at Hospital Putrajaya, said that the 10-hour flight from Jeddah was no easy feat for Asmah.
A medical crew tended to Asmah during the journey.
Also on hand to receive Asmah back home were Tabung Haji chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, Hajj Department Head Hisham Harun and other top officials of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (Maiwp).
“I thank all who came forward to bring Hajah Asmah home.
“Earlier this year, she completed her haj but contracted pneumonia near the end of the trip and was admitted to the Saudi-German Hospital.
“However, her condition deteriorated and she was put in the Intensive Care Unit. Her situation was too complicated to bring her back on a normal medical flight.
“During my last trip to Jeddah this month, I visited her and decided to raise funds to bring her home to her loved ones as she was all alone there, despite receiving the best medical care.
“She arrived at 8.15pm on Monday in Subang and I thank the generosity of Malaysians, along with the coordination of Tabung Haji, the Saudi medical team, the air ambulance crew and all those involved in this mission to bring her back to Malaysia.
“She is now admitted to the Putrajaya ICU and her arrival home is not a mere medical mission but an act of solidarity by Malaysians,” said Mohd Na’im.
It was reported that RM372,222.66 was successfully collected through a crowdfunding drive, while the rest was topped up by Tabung Haji and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council.
