PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) sergeant had a lifelong fascination with snakes and kept several reptiles at home, including cobras, pythons and boas.
But for his sister, Siti Aisyah Kamardin, there was never any indication that his passion for the reptiles would eventually cost him his life.
“I never thought such an incident would happen,” she said yesterday.
Siti Aisyah said her brother, Sjn (PA) Muhamad Muazam Shah Kamardin, 39, died after being bitten by a king cobra during a reptile-handling demonstration at Dewan Taman Temerloh Jaya in Pahang on Saturday.
Pahang APM director Kol (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said Muhamad Muazam died at about 1.50am while receiving treatment at Hospital Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah in Temerloh.
Siti Aisyah, 43, said the incident was the third time her brother had been bitten by a snake, with the previous two involving different reptiles.
“The last time he was bitten was about three years ago, which caused him to fall into a coma before suffering a heart attack.
“He fortunately survived then, but after that he could not do heavy work and only carried out light tasks and slowly,” she told Sinar Harian yesterday.
She said Muhamad Muazam sometimes brought the reptiles he kept at home for APM demonstrations, although she did not know exactly how he obtained them.
“In the week before this incident, my brother had spent much time handling snakes at home, including bathing and playing with them,” she said.
Siti Aisyah said she last met her brother about three weeks ago at home.
She said she received a call from her brother’s foster sibling around midnight informing her that Muhamad Muazam had been bitten and was being rushed to hospital.
Muhamad Muazam was reported to have been bitten on a finger of his right hand at about 10.50am while conducting the demonstration.
He reportedly told his team that he had been bitten before calmly returning the cobra to its box and washing his hands.
He subsequently collapsed outside the hall and was rushed to hospital.
Che Adam said Muhamad Muazam’s remains were scheduled to be buried at the Kampung Bukit Kelulut Cemetery in Temerloh yesterday.
