SHAH ALAM: It took 50 seconds for fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim to disappear from his colleague’s view amid the chaos of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riot in Subang Jaya on Nov 26, which claimed Adib’s life.
Adib, 24, was in the Emergency Medical Response Service (EMRS) van with his colleague, Ahmad Shahril Othman, when the incident occurred.
On the second day of the inquest into Adib’s death yesterday, third witness Shahril, who was driving the van, told the coroner that upon reaching the scene of the incident, he parked the van behind a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) vehicle.
He said a mob began attacking the FRT vehicle, which prompted its driver to reverse the vehicle.
In doing so, the FRT vehicle crashed into the van and pushed it back, with the rioters advancing.
“When the FRT vehicle reversed, it rammed into our vehicle and pushed us back.
“I saw a group of people running towards us. Three of them, wearing motorcycle helmets, banged on my window and tried to open the door.
“I held on to the steering wheel and tried to hold on to the door as it wasn’t locked.”
He said the vehicle was being rocked from side to side by the rioters.
Deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah asked Shahril if he knew what happened to Adib in the vehicle.
Shahril: I didn’t notice (what happened to Adib). It was chaotic. I couldn’t see Adib when the van began to turn after being rammed by the FRT vehicle. The door was still shut.
I saw him before the van was being pushed back, but 50 seconds later he was gone. When the vehicles first touched, he was still there but when the rioters attacked, I could not see him.
Hamdan: From the moment the van was pushed back until it began turning, did you know what was happening to Adib?
Shahril: No. I did not look at him when the van was rammed by the FRT vehicle.
Hamdan: What did you do next?
Shahril: I stopped for a while and was shocked. Then I floored the accelerator and sped towards the Subang Jaya police headquarters.
Shahril said upon arriving at the police headquarters, he got down and inspected the vehicle. He found that one of the tyres had come off, the rear left sliding door was detached, the left rear wheel was down to its rim, one of the side mirrors was detached and the rear window was smashed.
He said there were two motorcycle helmets in the van.
Shahril said he was shocked to see another colleague, Azim, who was one of the firemen in the FRT vehicle, emerging from his van from behind.
“I asked Azim about Adib’s whereabouts. His face was pale and he said he didn’t know.”
He said he thought Adib had escaped to the FRT vehicle and tried to contact him via the walkie talkie. One of their colleagues rang Adib’s mobile phone, which was answered by a member of the public, who told them that Adib was taken to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).
Shahril said they were unable to lodge a police report as the system was down and decided to go to SJMC before lodging a report at the SS17 police station.
He said, however, he did not see Adib at SJMC.
The inquest continues today.